


Warren Life

by bmo_galaxy



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Angst, Becoming a family, Comfort, Cute, F/M, Family, Fluff, Fluffy, Home Life, Hurt/Comfort, JackRabbit - Freeform, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, ROTG - Freeform, Rise of the Guardians - Freeform, Slice of Life, Slow Build, day to day life, frostbunny - Freeform, mentions of self harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-02
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-17 22:44:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 53,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1405273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bmo_galaxy/pseuds/bmo_galaxy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slowly, but surely, Jack and Bunny get to see sides of each other that they show to no one. And together, they find love and understanding along the way. The other Guardians also become closer to their youngest member and together, they become a family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Missing Brushes and Crisp Breezes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aster realizes that something is amiss in the Warren. He investigates and finds that it's none other than Jack Frost. What does he find when he goes to confront the troublesome spirit?

_Early-March_

To be honest, he was surprised he hadn’t noticed it sooner. The subtle shift in the air that felt cooler. The ever so slight change in the floral scent of the Warren, now with an edge of crisp winter mornings. The way that the morning dew took a little longer to melt off, as if it had been half frozen in the night. A few paintbrushes missing here, a jar of paint or two disappearing there. Yes, it was definitely a surprise that he hadn’t noticed the changes sooner. When he did, though, he immediately knew what— or rather, _who_ — had caused it. 

Jack Frost. 

The smell of cool morning air and crisp leaves seemed to be as imprinted in the Warren’s smell as the smell of lavender, grass, and paint; meaning that Jack had been in the eternal spring often over the course of many weeks. With a grim expression set on his face, Aster set out from his small cottage and began slowly making his way through his home. Having the winter spirit in the Warren without permission or supervision was never a good thing and Bunny could only imagine the kind of havoc the boy had caused during his time. Nightmares of wilted flowers and frozen dye rivers filled his mind and quickened his step. 

Finding the winter child was easier than Bunnymund expected, considering how prominent his scent was. Riled up and ready to punish the little twerp, Bunny was surprised by the sight he happened upon. A few yards away, under the shade of his largest willow tree, Jack sat cross legged. His staff was left next to him, resting peacefully in the lush green grass. The boy’s back was to him, but the Guardian of Hope could tell that he was hold something. A few egglets danced and scurried around the Guardian of Fun, while some seated themselves patiently next to his legs. Glancing to the right and left of the winter spirit, Bunny spotted the paintbrushes and paints that had gone missing from his stores. 

Taking a few steps forward, Bunnymund caught the sound of Jack’s faint whispering. 

“… and don’t you worry, you’re going to be gorgeous when I’m done with you. Prettiest little egg the kids have ever seen.”

Sitting back, the snow child held the egg up into the light of the eternal sun. The bright orange paint shone beautifully on the egg. With a satisfied smile, Jack released the little egg on eager feet and watched for a moment as it waddled off to show off its bright new colors to its siblings. With a soft sigh, the sprite cleaned off the brush gently and carefully, not wanting to damage it before he returned it. Setting it down among the others he had swiped from Bunny, Jack looked at the dozen or so eggs he’d been able to paint today. He’d given each of them the same instructions he’d given the dozens he’d painted the days before: _Stay clear of Bunny until Easter so he doesn’t wonder where you came from._

Shaking his head gently, he turned to grab a smaller brush and another egg when movement caught the corner of his eye. Whipping around, he stared wide eyed at a speechless Bunny standing over him. His mouth fell open in a gape and snapped closed as he sputtered for something to say. 

“I—um, sorry, hey Kangaroo, what’s up?” he asked lamely, scratching the back of his neck nervously. His eyes moved to glance at the assortment of painted eggs and frost immediately crept along his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.

“Wha— what are you doin’, Frostbite?” Bunny’s voice came out soft and breathless, as if he couldn’t understand what he was seeing. Which, in truth, he really couldn’t. 

Jack’s posture seemed to relax, almost slump, when he answered. “I, uh, I’m painting eggs?” It came out as a question. 

“I can see that, mate. What I mean is… Why?”

Jack shrugged halfheartedly and worried his lower lip gently as he stared distantly at the little egglets playing with each other in the grass. 

“I didn’t want it to happen again.” he finally mumbled. 

The Guardian of Hope cocked his head at that and raised a furry brow. What was he talking about?

Jack sighed at the confused look on the rabbit’s face. He turned and curled his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them as he stared at the flowers in the distance. “Last year I ruined Easter, and I know that this year you’re working extra hard to make sure that everything goes well so that you gain all the believers back. And Tooth told me about the new chocolates you’re testing with and North explained the different dyes you’re experimenting with so that the color is brighter and last longer. And Sandy told me about how you aren’t sleeping that much!” he exclaimed at the end, looking at Bunny with wide, concerned eyes. Upon seeing Bunny’s shocked face, he once again curled away and continued. 

“So I figured, you’d never want my help if I offered it because why would you want the one that ruined Easter to help you prepare for it? I decided to sneak in and paint a few eggs to try and lighten your load.” He turned to Bunny again with wide eyes that spoke of panic and anxiety. 

“I know that it isn’t anywhere near enough to make up for how I screwed up last year and it doesn’t even make a dent in your work load but, I just, I thought that I could try to help a little bit and maybe, then…” He stopped and took a deep, gasping breath before looking down.

Bunny took a small step toward the spirit. The Easter Bunny was shocked at the change he was witnessing in the bringer of fun. He’d never seen Jack look so unsure of himself, so insecure and anxious. He was used to prideful smirks and cocky comments. He’d never realized what a good actor Jack was. Bitterly, he remembered the three hundred years of solitude Jack had been subjected to. Plenty of time to learn how to fake a smile and force a convincing laugh.

“Maybe what, Jack?”

It was a moment before a mumbled answer reached his ears. “Maybe then you wouldn’t hate me anymore.” 

Bunny could feel the words lance through his heart and leave spider web cracks. Looking down at the boy in front of him, the child in front of him, he felt his heart break with guilt. All the years left alone, invisible, with no one to support him and everyone telling him that no one needed him; they had left such a deep scar on Jack. So deep that a mere year as a guardian couldn’t hope to heal it. Guilt was strong and heavy in his throat. Swallowing past the lump, Bunny stepped forward and sat next to Jack gently. He wrapped an arm around the curled spirit to pull the boy into his side. 

“They’re a real beaut’, Jackie.”

Jack’s head whipped up to look at Bunny, his eyes full of fragile hope. “Really, you think so?”

Bunny nodded, not trusting his voice. Jack’s smile was bright, true, and contagious as he looked proudly at the little googies bounding through the grass. And in that moment, under the cool shade, Bunny swore that he would heal that scar. Jack would never go a day without hearing that he was loved, appreciated, and wanted; again. And Jack would never, _ever_ , be left alone again.

“It’s going ta be the best Easter eva.”


	2. Easter and Helping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny comes home, after the first Easter since Pitch, to find a surprise.

_Early-April_

A long sigh echoed through the silence of the tunnel. Tired feet hopped slowly along, leaving small bursts of red poppies here and there. Aster was on the return trip to the Warren, having just finished delivering the last of his googies to the last of the egg hunts. He’d saved Burgess for last, leaving his prettiest little eggs for Jamie and his friends, knowing that they more than deserved it for their help last year. Easter had gone off without a hitch. He could feel the hope and laughter of the children singing through his veins and making him warm from his center. This was the part of Easter he loved the most. 

This year had been one of the best, especially once Bunny saw that Jack wanted to help. The boy was in the eternal spring day in and day out for a little over two months now, only delivering snow storms and flurries at night. Jack helped paint eggs a few times, but his main jobs were those that Aster was too busy for during this season; he watered and tended the immense garden near Bunny’s cottage, ushered eggs out of the tunnels and vines to go and get painted, and even washed the pooka’s brushes when they needed it.  
And not a single prank had been played. The winter child had been on perfect behavior the entire time he’d helped the rabbit. He joked and jibbed a few times, but nothing beyond the usual jokes and nicknames. He was eager to learn, listen, and obey whatever Bunny told him. It was almost unnerving. Bunny could see the sharp desperation and desire to please, to be accepted, in those blue eyes every time Jack stood in front of him and it pulled at Aster’s heart. The spirit had been left alone for so long that he was desperate to be of use and be needed. So, despite the youngest of the guardians being slightly overbearing, Aster was extremely careful not to snap at the boy or tease too hard. Jack was finally getting comfortable and Aster refused to ruin that.

During the long, warm days in the Warren, Bunny had seen past the carefree prankster they had all assumed Jack was. Aster got a glimpse at the kind, quiet, gentle child who just wanted a little bit of attention, a little bit of love. Aster saw the child Jack had been when he had died, the child that he would always be, and he saw that three hundred years of solitude had made him grow up entirely too quickly. Yes, the boy loved to play a prank and have fun, but what kid doesn’t? And in Jack’s case, more often than not, the pranks were meant for attention, something he had been so deprived of that he was willing to do anything to get it. Anything to be acknowledged, seen, and spoken to. 

Once Jack had started to receive that from all the guardians, in large quantities, the group noticed a change in their youngest. His pranks were almost… Gentler. They were no longer extreme. No more blizzards in the Warren, no ice rinks in North’s shop. He had perfect attendance at meetings and he was less argumentative. Almost as if, now that he had the attention he so craved, he was desperate to keep it. Yes, pranks were still played, but they were received with smiles and laughs instead of fists and harsh words. The more they laughed and smiled at him, the more relaxed he became, the more comfortable he became. Still, though, the fear and wariness shone in his eyes anytime one of them address him directly, anytime one of them talked to him. And the minute he thought he was in danger of being abandoned, the shields went up full force and for a few days, he wore the mask of fake smiles, forced laughs, and harsh jokes. Aster wondered if that fear would ever go away. Sometimes, he feared that it wouldn’t. 

Shaking his head with another sigh, Bunny attempted to dislodge the winter child from his mind. Jack had been plaguing his thoughts so much lately, even when he wasn’t with the boy. Turning his mind to more pressing issues, he thought about the mess he’d left behind in his rush to leave this morning. 

Jack had gone with him to him the egglets down the tunnels, waving enthusiastically after them.

“Good luck, little guys! Make the kids happy!” the white haired youth had called happily after them. 

Aster had assumed that once the googies and he had left, that Jack would leave too. Most likely to dust a few cities with light flurries and frost some windows. He had no fear that the boy would cause anything major. That meant, however, that the Warren was empty and a _mess_.

That, the mess waiting for him, was his least favorite part of Easter. In the last minute rush to get the googies out, about, and hidden, Bunny hardly had a chance to eat, let alone clean up after himself. Brushes covered in paint scattered everywhere. Cans of paints and dyes lying around, some not closed and some missing lids. Half batches of chocolate in pots, stacked on the counter in a hazardous, dangerously leaning tower. Images of it flash through the pooka’s mind and he felt exhausted by the mere thoughts. With another sigh, he reached the end of the tunnel and the entrance of the Warren.

Pausing for a moment, he enjoyed the warm breeze in the air and the calming smell. The post-Easter peace and quiet of the Warren always served to calm his nerves and relax him. Only after closing his eyes and taking a deep breath through his nose did he notice the slight shift in the Warren’s smell. A slight waft of crisp air cut the sweet smell of the eternal spring, bringing with it the smell of frosts leaves and ice. Opening his eyes to glance around, Bunny slowly began to make his way toward his cottage. 

Perhaps it was left over from Jack spending the time in the Warren? No, it smelled too strong for that. The closer Aster got to his home, the stronger the smell got. He could smell mint and snowdrops too, a distinctly Jack smell. The air was slightly cooler as well. Rounding the last bend on the path to his home, Aster paused in wonder. 

The mess he’d left in the grass was gone, as if it had never happened. On a plain towel, his brushes had been washed and laid out to air dry in the gentle sunlight. His cans, jars, and bottles of dyes were all lidded, wiped clean, and stacked outside the doorway to the burrow. Inside the home, he could hear the sound of someone humming.

Hopping forward to stand in the doorway, Bunny looked inside. Jack was seated with his back turned away. He was seated on a low footstool that he generally used as a step stool. (He often complained about everything being too high up in the Warren and when asked why he didn’t just fly to it, he quipped that it took too much energy and everything should be lower anyway. The next day, Bunny had a small step stool waiting for him. Nothing was said about the change, but the appreciation was understood by both.)

His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and from what Bunny could tell, his legs were spread to accommodate something between them on the floor. 

“Snowflake?”

Jack jumped with a yelp, startled by the sudden presence of another person. (The pooka noticed he did that often; he jumped when he was addressed or surprised, as if he had forgotten that people could see him and talk to him.) Whatever he had been holding was dropped with a splash back into the basin sitting at his feet.

“Oh! You’re back. How did it go, Cottontail? I could feel the joy of the first child to find an egg today!” There was a hint of pride and awe in the snow child’s voice as he bent down to retrieve the pot that he had dropped into the water. Taking his place back on his stool, Jack stared at Bunny expectantly as he scrubbed at a stubborn clump of dried chocolate.  
Aster could only gape at the scene before him. Jack was cleaning his disaster of a kitchen. He had already sorted and cleaned all the tools and paints. Half the pots that he had used were drying on a towel and half was sitting off to the side, waiting to be dunked into the sudsy water. 

“W-wha’ are ya doin’, Jackie?”

Jack looked at him with a confused expression. “I’m washing a pot?”

“Well, yah. I know. I thought you were leaving this morning though?”

Bunny watched as Jack seemed to wilt under that statement, his eyes flashing hurt before he closed up and his face went blank. The youngest guardians’ shields were going up. The Guardian of Hope scrambled for words to express that he didn’t want Jack to leave, he was just confused. 

“Not, it ain’t like that. I just mean, why are ya cleanin’? I would ‘ave thought you’d be spreadin’ snow today. You know, for the ankle biters?”

Jack relaxed fractionally at the reassurance, his shoulders dropping from their tense before he shrugged. He concentrated on the pot as he spoke. 

“Yeah. I left for a few hours after you left to spread a little bit of snow and some frost. Nothing major!” He quickly blurted out the ending. Frost crept across his face at the outburst and he scrubbed harder. “Once I was done with that, I came back and started cleaning. I can’t imagine how tiring it must be to hide all the eggs and travel so much. So, I wanted to help a little bit.”

 _‘A little bit,’_ Aster thought with a small smile. This was just Jack being Jack. Being kind and selfless and so ready to please. Shaking his head, he plopped down next to the tub and grabbed another pot and sponge. Jack opened his mouth to protest, worry in his eyes replacing the hard, cold edge they had taken. Bunny beat him to it. 

“I did it every year before this without ya. And you already did most of tha’ work anyway. Let me at least help with this.”

Jack blinked for a moment before a wide, bright, pure smile spread over his face and he nodded enthusiastically. The two worked happily, chatting about how the eggs hunts had come along and where Bunny had thought to hide them this year. And the whole time, Aster couldn’t help but think that he wouldn’t mind Jack staying in the Warren.


	3. Confessions and Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny is confused about his feelings for Jack. He goes to North for advice and realizes something he never thought was possible.

_Early-May_

It was a month later when Aster left the Warren for the first time since Easter. Since Jack had saved him the time of cleaning and chores, the pooka had been able to spend the month relaxing and sleeping off the knots, aches, and exhaustion left over from Easter; as well as tend to the Warren, which had been slightly neglected the month before. Now though, he found that he needed to leave the warmth of his eternal spring to visit the frigid north of the Pole. He had something he needed to talk to the Guardian of Wonder about and wanted to do it while Jack was spreading snow, frost, and all things fun to the children of the world. 

Since Easter, the young snow spirit had spent much time in the Warren. He could stop in when he wasn’t doing his job and stay late into the night. It wasn’t until Bunny was yawning every other word that the young sprite would leave. Always, though, it was with a sheen of loneliness and unhappiness in his bright blue eyes. And, every time, Aster would reassure the kid that he could come back tomorrow as long as he did his job first. The light of hope and elation on Jack’s face always made the rabbit’s center warm, because despite what they thought, Jack was still a child at heart and his hope radiated brightly. 

Hopping through the deep snow, cursing about his numb feet and frost tipped whiskers, Bunny made it to the Workshop in a matter of minutes. Phil opened the door for him, offering him a warm glass of eggnog and a towel. Aster took the towel first to dry the snow out of his fur before he traded Phil for the eggnog. The warm glass felt like heaven in his chilled paws. He sipped at the liquid as he walked through the maze that was the Workshop. After many years of coming here, it was almost muscle memory that got Bunny to North’s office. The door was wide open and loud Russian music blasted from inside. Peaking his head in, Bunny watched as North chipped and carved away at an icy model that he was making. With a sharp knock on the wooden door, the pooka got the toy makers attention. 

“Da! Bunny! Is good to see you. What brings you to Pole today?” The music was turned down and the tools set aside as the inventor turned to his friend. North was jolly as always, a bright smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Bunny found himself smiling a bit in return before taking his customary seat in his rocking chair. He sipped once more at his drink before setting it aside. 

“It’s about Jack, mate.”

Immediately, the smile wilted and a hard, protective look shone in North’s blue eyes. He tense noticeably. 

“Is he okay? Did something happen?”

Bunny waved a paw passively to calm the man down, a grin on his face. It was amazing to see how quickly they'd gotten protective of their youngest member.

“Calm down, mate, the kid’s good as apples. It has more to do with… me, I guess.”

North calmed at the words and took a seat in his chair, bracing his elbows on his knees to stare at his old friend. His expression told Bunny to continue talking.

Bunny took a deep breath. “The kids been hangin’ ‘round the Warren a lot lately. And normally that would bother the hell out of me. You know how much I hate people bein’ in my Warren,” North nodded his agreement at that, remembering each and every time that he’d visited the eternal spring without permission and nearly gotten a boomerang to the mouth.

“So he’s there all the time. He doesn’t play any pranks though! He just wants to play with the googies and weed the garden and talk. Sometimes not even that! He just lays in the grass under the trees and watches me paint. Sometimes he talks to the egg sentries. Usually I would have gone bonkers by now!”  
Bunny threw his hands in the air in frustration. They landed with a muffled _thump_ in his lap. 

“But you have not?”

Bunny looked at North with wide, confused eyes. 

“No, mate. I haven’t. In fact, I like havin’ the kid there. He’s good to bounce ideas off of, really understands the ankle biters. He’s helpful, kind, respectful. Nothing like we thought he was. And… And I like having him in the Warren. I like knowing that he’s protected and taken care of there. Someone to talk to him and help him. Someone to love—“

Bunny stopped midsentence, his mouth hanging open in shock. Had he been about to say that? About Jack, of all people? Now that he thought about it, he had gotten very close to their youngest in recent months. They spent so much time together and Bunny had seen sides and aspects of Jack that he hadn’t known, or ever considered, existed. The winter boy was more than a holiday ruining troublemaker. He was Jack Frost, the youngest guardian, the guardian of fun, their friend, their _family._ Bunny couldn’t remember how they’d lived without him in their lives. What had they been doing? How had they done it?

Bunny turned his green eyes to his oldest friend. Again, they were wide and filled with confusion.

North’s eyes were wide with shock and awe, but a knowing smile curled his lips and he sat forward slowly, locking his eyes with Aster’s. 

“You love our young Jack Frost, Aster.” It wasn’t a question, it hung in the air as a statement.

Bunnymund’s eyes, if possible, widened further and he looked helplessly down at his paws. Did he love Jack? Of course he did, after what the boy done for him, done for _all of them_ it was almost impossible not to love the kid. But was it _love?_ More than a familial love, more than a deep friendship?

The pooka thought about the time he’d been spending with the snow spirit. He remembered the smiles and the clear laugh that rang through the Warren. The laugh that felt like it belong there. He thought about how the Warren felt empty when Jack was gone and he felt a ghost of the joy that surged through him when he felt the first brush of cool wind when Jack arrived in the eternal spring. He felt the spot in his heart that Jack had wiggled into squeeze painfully when he remembered the times when he had hurt the young spirit and he could feel the phantom feeling of longing to sit and be near Jack forever. Was that love though? It had been so long since he’d experienced love and he thought, after the eradication of his people, that he could never feel that love again. Was it possible that these feelings for Jack were love, in the truest sense of the word?

Green eyes met blue again and the doubt vanished. Aster wasn’t even sure it had ever existed. These feelings were true and they felt right. They surged through him with every beat of his heart. The desire to protect, hold, talk to, sit with, cherish, take care of, support, stand by, love. Something that the pooka hadn’t experienced in a very long time. And the approval, and slightly teasing, in the toy maker’s gaze solidified his decision all the more. 

“I love Jack Frost.”

All North could do was smile encouragingly and clap the rabbit on the shoulder. 

“Da, you do. Now, how you tell him?”

Never had the pooka’s heart stopped and dropped so quickly at so few words. 

“Tell him? I’m neva’ goin’ to tell him!”

Confusion fluttered over North’s face, making his smile disappear. His large eyebrows scrunched above his eyes.

“Why not? You love him, shouldn’t he know that?”

Aster shook his head hard at that and ground his teeth together. 

“It’ll ruin the friendship, mate. And I’d rather have him as a friend then not at all.” The very idea of Jack never visiting the Warren again made his skin crawl and his stomach roll.

The large Russian pursed his lips. “How do you know that he will not return feelings?”

“I just know, alright?” It was a weak counter, Aster knew that, but the idea of confessing to Jack and possibly losing the winter sprite made his heart clench and his stomach drop. 

North shook his head. “You are afraid for nothing. Even if feelings are not returned, he stays your friend. I guarantee,” He clapped Bunny’s shoulder again with a knowing grin, “I can feel it, in my belly.”

Aster chuckled quietly and shook his head in light disbelief. Maybe North was right.

“I’ll think about it, mate. No promises though.”

The toy maker nodded, knowing that eventually, the stubborn rabbit wouldn’t be able to hide it anymore. And if what Aster said about Jack hanging around the Warren was true, Santa didn’t doubt at all that the feelings were returned. 

“You do that. Now go, attend Warren. I am sure that Jack is waiting for you there.”

Bunny nodded absently, ignoring the flutter in his stomach at the idea of Jack waiting for him at his home. 

“Thanks North, I’ll be seein’ you.”

“Da, you will. Meeting with Wednesday, correct?”

A nod was the toy maker’s answer. 

Two thumps and a yellow daffodil later, North was once again alone in his office. With a chuckle and a shake of the head, he turned back to his ice masterpiece. He knew that soon, one of the two stubborn guardians would cave and confess to the other. 

It was only a matter of time.


	4. Spring Cleaning and Staying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the rush of Easter, there's a lot to clean up around the Warren! Jack offers to help Aster with the jobs and in the end, Bunny has a surprise that Jack never expected.

_Early-May_

It was early in the morning when Jack flowed into the Warren with a trail of cold wind and the smell of fresh snow. He landing almost immediately, loving the feel of the lush grass under his feet. It was so different than the cool, slickness of ice. Different, but definitely not disliked. It was nice to feel the difference and be able to appreciate it. Humming appreciatively, he nodded respectfully to the egg sentries waiting for him, their faces turned to carve smiles. He smiled back. 

Slowly, the young spirit made his way toward the burrow that Bunny called home. In reality, it was just a cottage built into the side of a small hill. The stone was dark grey and covered almost completely with different vines, mosses, and flowers. 

Bunny had mentioned to him a little over a week ago that he needed to get a jump start on spring cleaning for the year. When Jack had asked what that entailed, Aster explained that he needed to clean out the old chocolates that had gone bad and restock the shelves of left over chocolate from this past Easter, he needed to organize and file the new recipes, he needed to get rid of expired paints and make a list of what colors he needed to get more of and what ingredients that required. As well as the normal cleaning, pruning, weeding, and planting. 

“That sounds like a lot of work,” Jack commented, amazed at how much Bunny had to do. He had always assumed that the pooka’s only job was making chocolate and hiding painted eggs.

Bunnymund just shrugged. “It’s gotta get done.”

Jack hummed in agreement, looking away shyly. “Do you think you’d want some help?”

This had been a big moment between the two of them. It was the first time Jack was asking if he could help. Asking if he could come see him. Asking to stay in the Warren. Every other time, Aster had needed to offer it to him; Jack had never had the courage to ask. 

The quiet request made Aster’s heart stutter, but if his voice sounded breathless when he said ‘sure’, Jack didn’t say anything. 

So now, Jack meandered his way down the familiar, well beaten path to the burrow. It was still quite early, the snow sprite doubted that Bunny would be awake by now. Maybe he’d start weeding the garden while he waited. He was finally getting familiar enough with what was a plant and what was a weed that he didn’t need to constantly look the flora up in Bunny’s big book of plants. Which made the entire process of weeding go much faster. 

Making his way around the last corner of the path, Jack stopped to greet a few small eggs running toward him. The little googies had been created just after Easter, so they knew that they had a long year in the Warren before they’d get delivered. The circled Jack’s legs excitedly, jumping over his bare feet and nudging his ankles. The boy chuckled at their antics and waved the crook of his staff over them, creating a gentle bit of snowfall over the egglets. They jumped up and down in excitement and kicked at the tiny flakes where they began to gather on the ground. A few rolled in the fluffy flakes. 

“Careful, mate, they’ll never leave you alone again now.”

Jack jumped at the deep voice above him and clutched his staff tightly to his chest. The reaction made a pang run through Bunny’s heart; the kid was still scared. Shaking off the negative thoughts, he threw on an easy grin. Watching Jack interact with his googies was interesting. He’d never seen anyone spend time with them, besides the children who found them on Easter morning. Jack took the time to play with them, though. He talked to them, led them, and took care of them as if they were tiny children. It warmed Aster’s head and made the large soft spot for the young winter guardian grow a little bit more. 

Jack had relaxed now and was grinning. Staring down at the eggs playing in the snow, he couldn’t help but add one more little wave for them to play in. The snow would melt quickly in the Warren, so he wanted to give them as much time to play as they could get. He could hear Bunny chuckle beside him. 

“Alright, enough play. Let’s get to work.” A paw was waved in the direction they needed to go. Jack rolled his eyes. 

“You can never have enough play, Cottontail.” Bunny only scoffed in response. 

It didn’t take them long to get to the small shed where Aster kept his paints and supplies. Much like the rest of the Warren, it was heavily covered in flora and vines. They curved and wound around the old wood, becoming a part of it and supporting the structure. It was beautiful and peaceful. When they stepped inside, Jack noticed that there was no light in the small room. It hardly needed it, with the sunlight pouring through the open windows. Looking around, Jack saw hundreds of colors of paint, colors he didn’t think he’d ever seen before. There was also a plethora of brushes, stencils, pencils, knifes, pallets, and tools he didn’t know the name of, but could only imagine what they were for. He wished he could watch Bunny use them, if only to know what they were used for. 

“Alright, Frostbite, first thing we gotta do is get rid of the old paints.”

“Why get rid of them?” The fun bringer couldn’t imagine why you would throw out such gorgeous colors. 

“Paint expires, mate. Smell like rotten milk. Nasty stuff,” Bunny smiled at him, “Don’t worry though. We’ll make more.”

Jack smiled at the use of the word “we’ll”; he enjoyed the fact that Bunny was inviting him to help. Bunny wanted to spend time with him, wanted him around. It was an unusual feeling for him, for sure, but it was definitely a good one. 

Setting his staff aside, he held his arms out. “Let’s get started then!”

\--

They finished a week later. 

The paints had been properly and safely dumped. 

“They’re plant based, so they’re totally biodegradable. I use the left over, rotten stuff to feed some of the plants around the Warren.”   
Together, the two of them had filled watering can after watering can with different colors of foul smelling paints and dyes. 

After that, they have taken care of the expired chocolate. It was ground into a mulch type mixture that was dumped at the base of all the trees. 

On the third day, Jack organized chocolate recipes based on type of chocolate, then by filling, while Aster made the bases for the new paints. It was a quiet, low key day that Jack spent in the gentle sunlight on the grass outside the paint shed, with Bunny inside mixing paints. 

The fourth day was dedicated entirely to weeding the entire Warren. During the months before Easter, Jack had only been asked to maintain the personal vegetable and fruit garden in the back of the burrow. This time, they started at the far south end of the Warren, as far from the cottage as they could get, and made their way forward. It was tiring work, and Jack often had to stop and retreat to the small, dye free creek to cool off so he didn’t overheat. Every time he did, there was gentle teasing about his fair skin and not wanting to get a burn, but other than that, they chatted comfortably. 

On the fifth day, where they got a later start after the hard work of weeding the day before, they added the liquid to the paint powder. It was exhausting work because for thirty minutes straight, the large pots of heated powder and liquid needed to be constantly stirred so that it didn’t clump up. After it was evenly heated and stirred, the dyes were slowly cooled and added to buckets and bottles with the appropriate labels on them, before they were carefully organized on shelves by color. Jack did most of the pouring and organizing, leaving the arm work for Aster. 

The sixth day rolled around to find the two checking brushes and tools for quality. Bunny refused to work with anything that wasn’t top standard.   
“The ankle biters deserve better than that!” He had exclaimed when he insisted throwing out a brush due to one bent bristle. Jack had laughed and asked if he could keep the brush. Bunny shrugged. 

“Sure, if you’re okay with a shitty brush.” Jack rolled his eyes at that. 

And today, the seventh day, the boys woke up and did the easiest of all the work, they checked off and made sure that everything on Bunny’s list was done.   
“We’re finished!” Jack said excited. Everything on the list was checked off. 

Aster smiled and nodded. “We sure are! Thanks for your help, Frostbite. Usually takes me two or three weeks to get all that done by myself. And it’s awfully lonely work all by my lonesome.”

Frost spread over Jack’s cheeks and he chuckled nervously at the compliment. Clearing his throat, the boy looked back toward the Burrow with a little touch of sadness. To make it easier on him, Bunny had let him stay on his couch so he didn’t have to travel here from Burgess every day. An image of the uncomfortable tree branch he slept on flashed through his head. For the first time, he didn’t see his lake as a desirable place to return to. He’d gotten used to the gentle heat of the Warren, gotten accustomed to the luxuries of a bed (even though it was just a couch) and having food on the table, and most of all, he’d gotten so used to being with Bunny. Despite their arguments of the past, the two got along very well. They talked about everything under the sun, and when they weren’t, it wasn’t awkward. It didn’t feel like Bunny had forgotten him or didn’t want to talk to him, they were just comfortable in silence. Jack never thought he’d ever be comfortable with silence ever again after three hundred years of it, but with Aster, it wasn’t suffocating. His presence, even quiet, was enough. 

Jack had been thinking about it on the fourth day, when the two had been weeding and a little distance away from each other. He thought about the change in their relationship, he pondered what Bunny meant to him, he wondered why Bunny let him stay around. And the thought about what would happen if it went back to the way it was. The pain that lanced through him was so sudden, like the strike of lightning, making Jack gasped and dropped the weed he was holding. It took him a moment to regain his breath and shake the thought from his head. The thought wouldn’t leave though and it wasn’t until long into the fifth day, while Jack was admiring the paint brushed he’d gotten from Bunny, imagining the pooka using them with extreme care to make beautiful eggs for the children of the world, that Jack realized he loved the rabbit. The thought made his stomach flutter, his heart skip a beat, and his brain freeze. How could he love Bunny? When had that happened? Most importantly, what was he going to do about it? 

He came to the conclusion that he needed to ignore these feelings. There was no way they were reciprocated. Moreover, Jack refused to jeopardize the friendship he had cultivated with his fellow guardian. They had come so far; Jack wasn’t risking that progress for anything. 

Still, he was sad to leave the Warren and no longer be in the rabbit’s constant contact, even though every time Aster talked to him, he blushed frost and his heart fluttered. 

“Well,” he started, clearing his throat quietly to dislodge the lump there, “I better get going. Snow to spread, fun to bring. The usual.” He wondered if Bunnymund could hear the strain in his voice, the thick emotion clogging his throat. He turned quickly, afraid the guardian would see it in his eyes. He made it three steps before a heavy paw landed on his shoulder.

“Hold up, mate, we got one more thing ta do before you can leave.” 

“But, the list was all checked off?” Couldn’t Bunny see that he wanted to get out of here? Get away from the warmth and the company and _the bloody kangaroo that he loved_ before his heart broke any more than it already had? 

Aster smiled, his heart beating hard in his chest in anticipation. He’d been thinking long and hard since his talk with North and this week with Jack had solidified his plans. “I forgot to put one thing down but it’s by far the most important part of spring. So, you gonna help me or what?”

Jack could only wordlessly nod. 

“Good onya, mate.”

Aster led them back toward the cottage, a bounce in his step and his hands shaking. This was a pivotal moment in their friendship, in their relationship. This could make or break the bridge they had finally made. He prayed to Manny that it didn’t break it. 

Jack was confused. They hadn’t spent any time doing any chores in the burrow all week. What job could possibly be so important that it resided there?

Pulling the door open, Bunny held it for Jack and watched the white haired teen linger in the living room area. He was staring at his box of paintbrushes.

“Grab those while you’re at it, Frostbite.” Jack nodded at the command and grabbed his box, holding it close to his body. Almost as if someone might take them away. Aster briefly wondered if the boy had ever been given a gift from another person, but shook that train of thought away before it could damper his mood. 

“Don’t just stand there, c’mon,” he said, a smile spread across his lips as he waved the snow child down the hall. Jack paused for a moment before continuing to follow. He’d never been in this part of the cottage before. It hadn’t been spoken, but he assumed it was a rule not to invade the rabbit’s space so he had stayed to the living room and kitchen. He padded quietly behind Bunny, peering at the new environment and the art on the walls along the way. He didn’t have time to truly appreciate it, but he recognized the forms of pookas in the pictures.

_‘Someday,'_ he vowed, _‘I’ll come in and look at them all in earnest.’_

“Here we are!” Aster announced, breaking the Guardian of Fun out of his train of thought.

Jack looked at the door he was being presented in confusion. It was a plain wooden door, nothing especially significant about it, until he leaned closer and saw a small engraving of a snowflake in the door. The mark was filled in with a frosty blue paint that looked like it would sparkle if light hit it. 

“What is this?” He dared not hope. 

“Open it and find out, mate.”

Tentatively, with a shaking hand, the boy reached out to grasp the cool metal handle to the door. It created gently as he turned the handle and pushed the door open. The first thing he saw was sunlight. It poured through the window at the back wall, bathing the entire room in yellow. There was a simple bed, nothing special, with two pillows and a heavy quilt. The ground was simple, flat, dry dirt, with a rug of lush green grass over it, acting as a carpet. There was a dresser, a nightstand with an oil lamp on it, and a desk with a chair. Very simple, very homey. Jack didn’t know what it meant. 

“W-What is this?”

“It’s your room, mate.”

Jack whipped around to look at Bunny’s eyes. His spring green eyes that were always bright with hope and light. His eyes that never lied because they were open books and you could see everything Bunny felt in them. His eyes that showed joy, warmth, and nervousness now. Eyes that told Jack that this wasn’t a joke, wasn’t a prank. There was no punch line and the rug wasn’t about to be pulled out from under him. Aster was serious. 

“Why…though?” 

Aster looked past him into the little room and a soft smile graced his face. His eyes filled with so much, dare Jack think, love that it nearly brought the spirit to tears.   
“I like havin’ ya in the Warren. You’re good with the eggs, you help out, and you don’t play too many pranks,” Bunny looked at him pointedly and both thought about the one patch of flowers that Jack froze, saying that they ‘looked prettier that way’. 

Jack just stared in wonder at Bunny and then his eyes flickered to the room. To his room. In a moment of fear, Aster wondered if the boy would say no. He hadn’t entertained the thought much, so much work had gone into getting the room ready that he had never considered if Jack would refuse. And what if he was offended by the room, thinking that Aster looked down on his lake and the way Jack lived? Panic seized Aster quickly, making his heart squeeze and his stomach clench. He waved his paws in front of him  
.   
“I mean, ya don’t have ta stay here if ya don’t want. I know ya got your lake, which is a great lake! I just, I wanted ta offer you a place, ya know? Just in case—“ He was cut off by cool arms wrapping around his waist and a face being pressed into his chest. The box of brushes clattered noisily to the floor. 

Immediately, his arms wound around Jack to steady the two of them so they didn’t go toppling over. Jack nuzzled his face into the ruff on Bunny’s chest, his arms tightening around the rabbit’s waist tightly. 

“ _Yes._ Thank you.” The words were soft, muffled, and strained, but they rang crystal clear through Bunny’s ears. 

He tightened his arms as well and held the boy close, enjoying the chill creeping gently into his fur. 

“Welcome home, Frostbite.”


	5. Leaping and Nesting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is officially moved into the Warren. What happens when he has a bad day and knows the nightmares will come? Will Bunny be brave enough to take the leap?

_Mid-July_

Jack peaked around the burrow that Aster called ‘home’ with awe and undisguised interest. It was so different from anything he’d ever seen. He’d lived in the Warren for a little over a month now and he still wasn’t used to a bed instead of a tree branch, soft grass instead of rough pebbles. Now that he was sleeping here every night, he found that he kept discovering little things that he hadn’t noticed during his stay on the couch. Paintings covered the walls, depictions of a society he’d never get to see but that gave him a view into the life that Bunny had lived before he’d becoming a Guardian. It was enlightening but also incredibly sad. Jack wondered if Aster missed his life before being a Guardian. 

That was how Jack spent most of his days, exploring the burrow and the Warren. He was familiar with almost every nook and cranny at this point, save for one room. 

Bunny’s room. There was no spoken rule, but Bunny was a private person, so Jack stayed away from the perpetually closed door two doors down from his own. Thinking about his room made a smile spread across his face. After the month of staying in the Warren full time, Jack’s feelings for Aster had only grown. They ate meals together and chatted together during the evenings. Sometimes Jack helped out with Easter and Warren work, other times he’d go do his own job, and once in a while he’d go and visit the other Guardians. He was at his weakest right now with it being the middle of summer, usually he’d be hibernating for the season to regain his strength, and he figured he’d sleep most of August and September. For now, he kept cool and refreshed by visiting the Workshop often to lay in snowbanks and take naps. 

Today, he was planning to check on the snow in the Arctic and perhaps visit North for some cookies. Maybe he’d play with some of the Inuit children on his way back to the Warren. Plan set and a smile on his face, Jack grabbed his staff from the living room and made his way out the tunnels. 

\--

Bunny let out a sigh of relief when he finally made it back to the Warren. It had been early in the morning when he left; when he’d peaked into Jack’s room, the boy had been soundly sleeping. Bunny observed that the bags under his eyes were finally letting up, lightening and disappearing. It made Aster happy to know that the boy was finally sleeping well. He’d left after a few minutes, closing the door quietly, but committing the image of Jack sleeping soundly to memory. He’d left the Warren short after that, needing to make a “round-the-world” trip to get ingredients for various things. Some were for new paints, some were for chocolates, and others were simply for day to day meals. 

It was a lot of moving though and Bunny wanted to get it down as quickly as possible, so he’d told Jack to stay behind for the day. The boy had taken it well, smiling and nodding, saying that he’d hate to have to follow the slow rabbit around all day anyway. The two had taken a few more gentle shots at each other before Bunny had announced that he needed to get to bed.

Besides seeing him sleeping this morning, Bunny hadn’t heard or seen the kid all day. It wasn’t totally unusually, they had different jobs and different schedules. Sometimes Aster forgot that besides being a Guardian, the snow child was also an elemental spirit. Which entailed different roles, obligations, and traditions that Bunny had no clue of. There were often days that Jack disappeared for a few hours to half a day at a time. Still, Bunny found that every time Jack left, the Warren seemed entirely too empty. 

Silently, Bunny hoped that Jack was there when he returned. 

It wasn’t ten minutes later that he rounded the last turn of the tunnel and bound into the Warren. He slowed to a stop and rolled his shoulders with a _pop_. The gentle sun beamed down on him, spreading warmth through his wind chilled fur. It felt good to be home. Taking in a large breath of air through his nose, he tasted the wind and a smile spread over his face. Jack was home. Following the smell, he set off toward its origin. 

Bunny couldn’t be sure how long he’d been there when he finally found the winter spirit. He smiled immediately and called as Jack’s name as he hopped toward the small guardian. It was only when Jack didn’t respond that he realized something was wrong.

“Mate?” he called, most softly as he approached. Jack didn’t move, not so much as a flinch. It wasn’t until Aster was at his side, putting a paw on his shoulder that Jack moved. He threw his thin arms around the Guardian of Hope’s middle and clung there. Surprised by the sudden contact, Aster felt from his haunches back onto his rear, an arm wrapping around Jack to keep him steady. Through his thick fur, he could feel frozen droplets on his skin. Jack was crying. 

“Oh, Snowflake,” he whispered. Curling his legs, he sat crosslegged and held Jack to in his lap. The frost bringer tightened his arms and sniffled, but made no other movement or sound. Aster stroked his back gentle, rocking ever so slightly to help calm the child down. He pressed his nose gently to Jack’s temple and snuffled there, rubbing gently. It was a pooka instinct, that’s how moms settled down kits. 

It seemed to do the trick. Jack’s arms loosened and his breathing calmed down. He pulled his face from Bunny’s chest and wiped his eyes with a sniffle. 

“Ya wanna tell me what happened, mate?” 

Jack looked down and shrugged halfheartedly. 

“C’mon Frostbite, you don’t react like that to nothing. Tell me what happened.”

Jack tensed up and his eyes flashed cold for a moment. Aster feared he’d pushed too hard and that Jack was going to close up. The look passed, though, and Jack slumped. It was as if he didn’t even have the energy to close up. 

“They still walk through me.”

For a moment, the entire Warren was silent. 

“Oh Jackie.”

Bunny drew the youth close to his chest again, wrapping his long arms around Jack’s shoulders and burying his nose in soft white hair. He snuffled for a moment, nuzzling against Jack’s head in an attempt to comfort him. 

“I’m so sorry, mate.” There wasn’t much else he could say. He remembered the feeling of a child walking through him. The soul crushing, heart wrenching, gut turning feeling of someone ignoring your existence because _they didn’t believe in you_. A ghost of that feeling whispered through the pooka and he shuttered. He held Jack a little bit tighter, hoping— _wishing_ — he could protect the one he loved from this feeling. 

They sat like that for hours. Even when the gentle sunlight dimmed into a warm evening, neither stirred nor made a move to get up. Jack’s crying had stopped long before, dwindling into small hiccups and quiet sniffles. Bunny continued to nuzzle his head, rub his back, and whisper reassuring nothings into his hair. 

It wasn’t until the first yawn that the paired moved. Jack broke first when a long yawn tumbled from his mouth. His eyes, tinged red from crying, were glazed and tired. The boy was beat. Bunny smiled a gentle smile at him and slowly got to his feet. 

“Alright, Frostbite, let’s get to bed. It’s been a long day.” Jack nodded against his chest.

The short walk to the cottage was quiet. Neither spoke until Bunny had opened Jack’s door and made the move to set the boy in bed. Jack’s fists had tightened, almost painfully, in his fur, making it impossible for the pooka to set him down. 

“Jack?”

“Can… Can I stay with you tonight? I don’t like— the nightmares, they— I can’t sl—“

Aster silenced the boy with a nuzzle to his forehead. 

“Course you can, Jackie.” 

Jack just nodded, frost spread over his nose and cheeks, eyes downcast. If it wasn’t for the circumstances, Bunny would have said the kid looked damn cute. 

Turning, the pooka closed the door and made the two step walk to his door. He set Jack on his feet; the boy let go easily enough this time. He looked even smaller standing there, arms wrapped around himself and back hunched. 

Jack didn’t know what he expected from Bunny’s room, but what he got was not what he expected. He’d expected at least a bed, but when the pooka opened the door, he found no bed in the room. No, instead of a bed, there was a nest. It was a large, round, wooden framed nest that was near ten feet in circumference. It was filled with soft, sweet smelling hay and alfalfa. On top of the straw, there were multiple blankets and pillows. It brought a small smile to the boy’s face. 

The rest of the room consisted of a small desk that was covered in paper, pencils, and paints, a small dresser, and two bed side tables on either end of the nest. 

Jack didn’t hesitate to walk forward and step over the low wooden edge of the nest, and fall face first into the plush pillows and heavy blankets. 

A low chuckle sounded behind him. Rolling over onto his back, he peaked at Aster. The guardian was still standing by the door, leaning against the door jam and grinning at Jack like an idiot. Jack couldn’t help but grin back before sticking his tongue out. 

“’Ey, you better put that back where it belongs, Frostbite.”

“Or what, Cottontail, you gonna do it for me?”

Both froze, staring wide eyed at one another. The tension in the small room could have been cut with a knife. 

In that moment, Aster realized it was ‘now or never’. Without a second thought, he took the leap. 

“I most certainly will, Snowflake.” His voice shook a touch and he sounded a bit breathless. 

Jack gaped at him, his eyes wide and frost collecting on his cheeks and nose. He wondered if Bunny was serious, if this was really happening. Could his feelings be returned, against all odds? He stared into those spring green eyes, hoping, wishing, pleading for this to be real. There was no deceit in those eyes, no joke or humor or mirth. They were nervous, serious, and overflowing with love. The same looked he’d had a month earlier when he invited Jack to live here. He’d seen that same look a few times since then and every time he’d blown it off as his imagination. He felt like an idiot. 

Slowly, he pushed himself to standing and took a few slow steps toward Bunny. The pooka didn’t move, but his eyes followed every movement that Jack made toward them. He looked weary. With agonizing slowness, Jack reached forward and put his hand on the furry chest he’d been clinging too earlier. A strong heart beat under his hand, it fluttered with anxiety. It brought a small smile to Jack’s face. 

“I never dreamed you’d feel the same way.”

That was all that needed to be said before he was lifted by strong arms. Lips crashed down against his. He wrapped lithe arms around Bunny’s neck and held himself as close as he could get. The kiss ended quickly, both breathing heavily from the emotion of the moment and the kiss. 

“Do ya mean it?”

Jack nodded against Aster’s forehead before planting a peck to his nose. 

“Serious as a snowstorm,” he replied with a grin. The Guardian of Hope laughed breathlessly, the air tickling Jack’s face. He giggled at the sensation before a yawn cut him off. Bunny smiled and slowly lowered Jack to the ground. 

“C’mon, mate, let’s go to bed.”

Jack nodded enthusiastically before diving back into the plush nest and laughing. Bunny liked that sound, the clear, bright sound of Jack laughing. Bunny crawled into the bed as soon as Jack was settled. It took a little bit of time before they found a position that was comfortable for both of them, but they soon settled in for sleep. Jack was out like a light, the minute he was settled with his head on Aster’s chest he was asleep. His cool breath puffed over Aster’s chest, sending shivers up the rabbit’s spine. A paw ran along Jack’s spine, enjoying the feel of the boy being curved to his side. 

The last thing Aster thought before sleep claimed him was how happy he was that he took the leap. 

\--

When the two showed up to the next meeting, hand-in-paw, and sat curled against each other on the couch, no one said a word. 

However, the other three knew. And the conveyed their congratulations with knowing smiles and hidden thumbs up.


	6. Layers and Loved Ones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack is late for a meeting and the Big Four assume he's skipping in favor of fun in the snow. What does Bunny find when he's sent to get Jack from his lake? What secrets is Jack keeping that the Guardians have no idea about?

_Early-October_

A fire was roaring in the hearth. The room was dimly light by the flickering flames. It was warm and cozy. The perfect atmosphere for a meeting. The Guardians sat around in different forms of furniture. Bunny was stretched out in a padded rocking chair that North had personally made him, his long legs pushing against the floor in a gentle rock. Tooth was perched with a perfectly straight back on the low cushioned couch, her wings twitching every now and then. A few fairies buzzed around her head, but for the most part she had left them for the night to take care of the Teeth. Since the Pitch incident, she’d realized how absorbed she was and had decided to step back a little bit and allowed her helpers to take over so that she got a little more free time. Sandy was sipping an eggnog on the other end of the couch, his smile happy and relaxed, and his eyelids drooping in sleepiness. North was seated in his desk chair, his brows furrowed and his mouth set in a frown below his beard. 

The room was silently besides the cracks and pops of the fire, the near silent buzz of Tooth’s fairies, and the gentle creak of Aster’s chair.

The silence didn’t last much longer. 

“Where the bloody hell is he?” Bunnymund grumbled, glaring out the window at the light, fluffy flakes dancing in the wind. 

North sighed at the outburst and glanced out the window as well. The wind knocked against the window gently, whispering to them, asking them where her winter child was. 

“I know not,” North murmured, “Is very unlike Jack to be late to meetings.”

Before Jack, the Guardians only held biyearly meetings to check in with each other and report how they were. After he had joined their ragtag team, pulling them together as a team, as a family, they had realized how distant they had gotten from each other. In an effort to rectify that mistake, and make an excuse to spend time with their youngest, North had ordered that they hold a meeting every two weeks to report on how they were doing and what they had been doing for the children. Jack had always been punctual, much to everyone’s surprise. They had expected the spirit of fun and pranks to blow off the responsibility in favor of having fun and spreading snow. 

In reality, Jack was always on time to every meeting and participated actively in them. One week, the big four had gotten together an hour early to discuss their surprise at the responsibility they observed in Jack. It was finally Sandy that suggested that perhaps Jack just enjoyed spending time with them. After that statement, the room had gone quiet as they imagined what it must be like for Jack to suddenly have company, companionship, love, support, friends, a family. Guilt had overwhelmed them instantly and the subject had been dropped as the winter child rode the Wind into the room with a bright smile and hair dusted with snow. They hadn’t brought it up since. 

“I knew it was only a matter a time before the blood show pony started skipping these,” Aster snapped. Despite their budding relationship, Bunny was still irritated that Jack seemed to be shirking his responsibilities. He had just seen the boy this morning, right before Jack had left the Warren to spread the early morning frost in North America. Tooth glared at him and took to the air to zip over to him. 

“We can’t just assume that he’s skipping. He might be doing something important!”

Bunny scoffed. “Important? What could he possibly have to do that’s so important?” They all knew that he didn’t mean that. All the guardians recognized how important Jack’s job was, especially considering his status as an elemental spirit and a guardian. Bunny’s patience was waning, though, and often that meant a sharp tongue. 

Tooth glanced away and chewed at her lip for a moment, thinking of Jack’s title and job, and wondering what he did beyond being the Guardian of Fun. Often during the meetings, he talked about snow storms and snowball fights, beautiful frost on window panes and snow days. He had never really gone into detail, though, about his day to day work beyond that. What schedule he had to keep or responsibilities he held. It was always very vague. 

“Exactly!” Bunny said when Tooth offered no excuse. “He probably thought it’d be more fun to play in tha’ snow then come to the meeting.” 

Tooth sigh in defeat and drooped toward the ground. “We’ve assumed so much about him that’s been proven wrong though.”

North and Sandy nodded in agreement and a sad silence fell over the group. 

“Regardless, he is not here. We must go get him to have meeting. Who wants to retrieve Jack?” The Guardian of Wonder look around expectantly. No hands went up immediately and he sighed. 

“Bunny it is then!” 

The pooka stuttered and sputtered indignantly as he whipped toward the toy maker. 

“Why’s it gotta be me, mate?”

“You are closest with Jack, with the kissing and the cuddling, and he lives in Warren. So, you go find him.”

Bunny grumbled at that logic and rose from his rather comfortable seat with a groan. He agreed with North though, he was the closest to Jack. And as unlikely as it was that Jack was doing something important, he did worry about the kid’s absence. 

“I’ll go check for Frostbite at his lake. If he ain’t there, I’ll come back.”

“Right, good luck Aster. Don’t go too hard on him if you find him. Let him explain first.”

Bunny rolled his eyes, tapping the floor with his foot. “Yeah, yeah, Toothy.”

With that said, Aster jumped down into his hole. A small white snowdrop stuck out from the floorboards in his place. 

\--

It didn’t take long to get to Burgess. The tunnel from the Pole to the small town was worn and well used, Bunny having used it often in the months since Jack’s initiation into the Guardians. The large rabbit was often sent to get their youngest from the lake he had once called home. 

Jumping carefully from the hole nearest to the lake, Bunny peaked around to make sure no ankle biters were around. Last thing he needed today was to be seen and accosted by little ones. Spotting no children, Aster made his way down the easy path to the water. 

Fall was settling in Burgess. The trees were a rainbow of oranges, reds, yellows, browns, and greens. The air smelled cool and sharp. Twigs and leaves crunched underfoot as you walked. It was gorgeous, if not a little sad. Bunny always had a hard time watching the beauty of spring and summer be destroyed by cool air and snow. He understood the seasons though and knew that it would be green and beautiful again in no time. 

For now, he had to find Jack. He was almost to the lake, which was actually more of a glorified pond, when he heard laughter. Immediately, he ducked behind a large bush. After a moment to let things settle, spring green eyes peaked between the leaves toward the lake. 

He could see Jack from where he was crouch. The eternal teen was sitting at the edge of the lake. His staff was held tightly in both hands and the end touched the frozen surface of the water. On the ice, there were three children. They were laughing and skating. Bunnymund couldn’t tell if the cranberry blush in their cheeks was from the cool air or from the breathless laughing. Bunny smirked, seeing that he was right about Jack blowing off the meeting to play with the ankle biters.

 _‘Bloody Frostbite is going ta get an earful from me.’_ Relationship or not, it was not okay to blow off Guardians duties to play. 

Only then did Aster realize that Jack wasn’t playing. He was passively seated, smiling wistfully at the children. There was a tight set to his mouth though, his eyes were pinched in concentration and seriousness. No, Frostbite was definitely not playing or goofing off. 

The children left fifteen minutes later, their mother’s voice ringing through the air for them to come inside for dinner. They slipped and slid their way off the ice, giggling and panting the entire way. Only once they were off the ice and out of sight did Jack remove is staff from the surface of the lake and sit back. Bunny took this opportunity to stand and make his way over to the teen. He was still frustrated at Jack for missing the meeting, but his curiosity as to what Frostbite was doing the whole time won out. 

Jack’s eyes were closed when Bunny made it to his side. With a light clear of the throat, Jack sat up and looked at Bunny with wide eyes. His hand curled around his staff automatically, ready to attack if need be. 

“Oh, Cottontail, it’s you. What’s up? What are you doing here?” He asked, a small smile curling his lips, sounding tired. Jack rubbed at his eye absently as he spoke. 

“Ya missed the meeting, mate,” Bunny said, his voice lacking the edge that it would usually have in this situation. 

Jack jumped up at those words and clutched his staff tightly to his chest. His bright blue eyes were wide in panic. 

“Was that today?! Oh god, I’m sorry. I got sidetracked with the kids and didn’t want to leave until they were off the lake. C’mon, we can go now so that I can apologize to North and the rest.” Jack began walking immediately, passing Bunny completely. He was hovering a few feet in the air before he realized that the bringer of hope and eggs wasn’t following after him. Instead, the rabbit was staring intently at the frozen water. Stepping forward, away from Jack, Bunny knelt at the edge and stared at the lake. Where Jack’s staff had been, there were beautiful frost fern patterns blooming out across the ice. Layer after layer of them, all laid on top of each other. A paw gently reached out to run over the frosted art before green eyes turned to meet blue. 

“What were you doing, Frostbite?”

Jack bit his lip gently and did a one shoulder shrug at the question. Slowly, he drifted to the ground until bare feet touched crunchy leaves. Jack didn’t meet Bunny’s eyes. 

“I was icing the lake is all.”

Aster stared at the winter teen with expectant eyes, waiting for more. Jack sighed, his breath leaving in a huff that turned white in the cold autumn air. 

“It’s cold enough for the lake to freeze during the night and stay frozen during the day. It can get thin on sunny days though,” he waved his staff absently at the clear, cloudless sky above him. “Some kids still try to skate though, which can be so dangerous when the ice gets thin like today. I didn’t want any of them to fall through and to end up like m—“ His jaw closed with a snap.

Aster moved closer to the teen, slowly and carefully, knowing that Jack would flee at any moment if he thought he wasn’t safe. Jack was good at that, disappearing when he didn’t feel safe. And if Jack didn’t want to be found, you didn’t find him. Bunny didn’t want to scare him off. 

“Turn out like who, Snowflake?”

The Guardian of Fun’s Adams apple bobbed as he swallowed around his suddenly dry mouth and the large lump in his throat. He stared intently at the ground before straightening and looking Bunnymund in the eye. Bunny didn’t like the closed off, blank look in the boy’s eyes. 

“I don’t want any of them to turn out like me.” His voice was flat, blank, and painfully cold. Bunny had to suppress a wince. 

“You? Why would skating on the ice make them turn out like you?”

Jack glanced at the lake and his eyes went far away, as he remembered something that he wished he didn’t. He never thought he’d regret getting his memories back, but now that he had them, he wondered if it was really for the best. The memories of the moments before and during his death would have been something he could have lived without.   
“When I was eighteen years old, I took my sister out skating. It was toward the end of the season but I thought that the ice would hold. It had been a mean winter, cold and harsh. We got on the ice and were fine for a few minutes. Then, I heard the first crack,” He swallowed again, pausing to hold back the tears gathering in his eyes.

“Pippa was standing on the thinnest part of the ice. It cracked under her. One wrong step and she’d have fallen through. So, I did was any good big brother would do,” he looked toward Bunny now, his eyes haunted with the memories of another life, a life he had missed out on.

“You took her place.” Bunny’s voice came out quiet, strangled. He was tormented by the idea of their little Snowflake dying. Dying cold and alone and _scared_. And then to be brought back with powers that no one could explain. To be brought back to a world that couldn’t see you, acknowledge you. To be ignored, abandoned, and given no explanation for any of it. Nausea rolled through his stomach powerfully and it took pure force of will not to throw up right then and there. 

Jack was nodding at him with a small, bitter smile on his face. 

“Yeah. I took her place, that’s what you do for people you love. Pulled her away from the crack and was the happiest I’ve ever been. She was smiling too, almost as if a dream had come true. I shifted my weight to go and hug her, and then, crack, splash, gone.” Distantly, he could hear her voice calling for him, screaming for him, crying for him. His heart squeezed painfully. A bitter smile stretched out over his lips when he glanced up to the sky, where the moon was shyly making his appearance in the sky from behind a cloud. “Next thing I know, I was rising out of the lake. All I got was a name and then _nothing._ ” He spat the word forcefully, turning his eyes from the moon in anger. 

Bunny was at a loss for words. None of the Guardians had ever asked about Jack’s memories. They were aware that he had seen them, he had told them as much after Pitch had been defeated, but he had never been forthcoming with information about the memories he had seen. It wasn’t until a week after the event that he returned his tooth box to their fairy friend. Frost had told her that he was done looking at his memories, that he’d seen them all and he was satisfied now. She had nodded and accepted the boy with a sad smile and a rub on his arm. 

None of them knew that he had… had _died_. All of them were asked to become immortals to protect the children, and they all kept their memories of the lives they lived before becoming Guardians. They had no idea what Jack had gone through, both in this life and the one before it. Guilt came in the form of hot bile in the back of Aster’s throat as he looked at the boy in front of him. The boy who had protected children with his life, the boy who survived three hundred years alone with no idea who he was or why he was there, the boy who helped them even when they gave him every reason _not_ to. 

Aster remembered what he’d said at the meeting, what he’d said about Jack skipping to play with children. Regret, guilt, and shame made his throat tight and his stomach drop. They were always so wrong about Jack. Him in particular. 

He reached out before he realized what he was doing, wrapping his long arms around the frozen child they had failed, and pulled the boy to his chest. Jack came easily, accepting and relishing in the touch of another being. The Guardian of Fun rested his back against the broad, furry chest behind him. He sighed quietly. The anger had left him, leaving him feeling drained and sad. 

“I always knew something happened here. Well, I didn’t know. I felt it. Every time anyone was on the lake, I got scared. I’d layer the lake a hundred times to make sure it was as thick as possible. And I’d break it all up in one night so that there was never any thin ice for people to fall through. It makes sense now, but at the time, I was just so nervous and scared. I had to make sure no one fell. I just never knew why.”

Aster gave no response. He chinned against Jack’s snow white hair and nudged the snow child’s temple with his nose. The last of the tension in Jack’s shoulders eased and he relaxed fully against the pooka. 

All this time, the boy had been protecting people. Not knowing why, not knowing what his purpose was, but just doing it because he had a feeling.

_‘We all assumed you were a trouble maker. A no-good, naughty list, holiday ruiner. We were so wrong about you, Snowflake.’_

The two stayed sitting like that for a long time, meeting completely forgotten. Bunny would periodically press kisses to the boys head and temple, and Jack would run his fingers through the fur on Bunny’s arms. Jack was the first to move, turning in Bunny’s arms to press his forehead against the pooka’s. 

“Let’s go home.”

Aster nodded, wrapping his arms around Jack’s waist to hold the snow child as he rose to his feet and summoned a tunnel.   
And when they went to bed that night, nestled against each other on piles of blankets and pillows, Bunnymund held Jack as close as possible, pressing kisses to the boy’s forehead and temples, occasionally pecking him on the lips. 

Long after Jack fell asleep, his breath slow and his face nuzzled into Bunny’s chest, the pooka was awake. He ran his paws through the boy’s hair and down his back, holding him close. 

“I’m so sorry, Jackie. I’m so sorry we failed you. I promise you, though, that it will never happen again. You’re stuck with us now, bucko.” He looked down at the innocent, child-like face, relaxed in sleep, and tears gathered in his eyes. “You’ll never be alone again, Snowflake.”


	7. Birthdays and Whispers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tooth asks Jack about his birthday and it brings up some pretty hard memories. He blows up at them and flees to Burgess. What does Jack find when he returns to the Pole to apologize for getting upset?

_Late-November_

“Jack?”

“Hm?” The winter spirit looked up from his book to a nervously twitching Tooth. Her wings were fluttering quicker than usual, if that was possible, giving away her nervousness. The rest of the Guardians were a few feet away, chatting and drinking eggnog. The last meeting of the month had just ended. Jack had intended to stay in the Workshop for a little bit, spend some time with Phil and the elves before heading back to the Warren. He marked his page in his book and looked expectantly at Tooth.

It wasn’t often that the fairy queen was nervous. She was a very emotional, outgoing person who tended to just blurt things out before she got a chance to be nervous about something. It was almost comical and a smile pulled at Jack’s lips.

“C’mon Tooth, cat got your tongue? What’s up?” he joked, hoping to help her relax enough to spill whatever she was going to say. Jack wasn’t a patient person and the anticipation was making his stomach turn in excitement.

Tooth wrung her hands in front of her, avoiding his eyes, before she burst.

“When is your birthday?!”

Silence followed her statement. The outburst had caught the attention of the other three in the room, who looked curiously over at the pair. Jack’s smile had fallen as he stared wide eyed at the Tooth Fairy.

“W-Why do you want to know, Tooth?”

Tooth looked at him with bright, guilt eyes. “Well, you’ve been with us for almost two years now. And never once have you mentioned a birthday or have we celebrated it. So, I was just wondering when it was so we could celebrate.” She ended the statement with a small, hopeful smile.

Jack looked down at his hands, which were tightly clutching the book in his lap. He knew that if he let the book go, the others would see his hands trembling.

“Its fine Tooth, it’s no big deal.”

“Of course is big deal!” North boomed, having caught onto the topic of conversation. He strode toward the couch as he spoke. “We must celebrate birthday. Come Jack, when is day?”

“Yeah Frostbite, we wanna know.”

Sandy nodded enthusiastically, his sand forming a present and a pointed had above his head.

They all crowded toward the couch, looking at Jack with expectant expressions. The closer they got, the more Jack started to shake.

“No, guys, really it’s okay. It doesn’t matter.” Although he tried to keep his voice light, he could tell his voice was starting to quiver with emotion and he tried to swallow it down.

“We ain’t gonna let it go until you tell us, bucko, so you might as well spill,” Bunny replied, his arms crossed and his face set in an arrogant smirk. The look alone made Jack snap.

He jumped over the back of the couch, grabbing his staff from its resting place by the hearth as he backed away from them. They stared at him, startled by the sudden movement.

“I don’t know when it is, okay?!” he yelled, his staff held in front of him defensively.

They blinked at him, eyes shocked and mouths hanging open. Tooth was the first to move, taking a careful step toward Jack with her hands held in front of her.

“Sweet Tooth, what do you mean you don’t know?” She thought every kid knew when their birthday was. It was the most exciting day of a child’s year, right up there with Easter, Christmas, and Halloween.

“I _mean,_ I don’t have one. I don’t remember from my human life. And if I wanted to celebrate my _birth_ into this life, I couldn’t do that either. I don’t know what day I rose from the lake,” he hissed eyes flashing with hurt and anger.

“And what do you care anyway? Why would knowing my birthday now matter? What about the three _hundred_ other birthdays? Did you ever wonder when my birthday was when you were ignoring me all those years?”

That struck a chord in all the Guardians. Shame fluttered through their eyes as they stared sadly, guiltily, at their youngest member. They knew that they had failed Jack all those years. Failed to protect him, failed to help him, failed to be the Guardians they swore to be. And they knew that there was nothing they could do to take away the pain and loneliness of those years. They had thought, though, that Jack was starting to trust them, starting to forgive them, even though they had done nothing to earn either of those things. It was only expected that he’d be hurt and angry with them. Who could blame him?

Jack looked at each of their faces, taking in the looks of guilt and shame and sadness. It helped to dampen his anger, but did nothing to remove the dull ache of loneliness he still felt in his chest.

“Just forget it, Tooth,” he muttered before he silently called for the Wind. She came through the window and gently grabbed her winter child in her cool embrace. She pushed the Guardians none-too-gently, showing her distaste for them in that moment. Jack didn’t look at them again before he was carried out the window into the light storm outside.

The Guardians watched him leave with an air of defeat. It was quiet in the globe room.

Tooth broke the silence.

Turning swiftly, she lashed out and drove her fist through the ornate hearth. The wood bust crumbled under her fist.

“Toothiana, what are you doing?” North asked, concerned. Tooth didn’t show such violence often.

“Look what we did! We failed that child for three hundred _years,_ North! He had no one and none of us took the time of day to get to know him. We knew of him, we’d heard his name, we’d all met him at least once. And we didn’t do _anything_ for him. He was a child, Nicholas, age be damned, that boy died a child and we failed him. What kind of Guardians are we?” Tooth panted as she reached the end of her rant. Large tears gathered in her lavender eyes.

“Can we even call ourselves Guardians after what we did to him?”

\--

Jack sat curled against the trunk of his tree, his hood up and his arms crossed. Embarrassment and shame made frost burn across his face and he hated to admit that tears gathered in his eyes.

_‘I can’t believe I yelled like that. They probably think I’m crazy now,’_ his head fell back against the trunk with a _thud,_ his eyes closed. _‘They probably hate me now.’_

Finally, _finally,_ he had friends and a family and people to love him. And what did he do? Blow up about one silly thing and ruin it all.

In all honestly, the topic of birthdays had always been a sensitive topic for him. It had taken him nearly ten years to understand what the celebration was for and when he did, the ache of loneliness in his chest had throbbed painfully. He couldn’t ever remember having a birthday, but that couldn’t be right, because it seemed like everyone got a birthday. Even the adults got birthdays. Yet every year, he watched thousands of families and friends celebrate, and every year it reminded him of just how utterly _alone_ he was. After a century, he stopped looking in on birthdays, fearing that if he didn’t, he’d break.

When Tooth had brought it up, it had rehashed all those old memories of nights spent alone, begging the Moon for anything. Any hint or clue of who he was, a birthday or a purpose. It reminded him of being alone and being ignored and living in silence. Living in a silence where no one sang ‘happy birthday’.

He knew he shouldn’t have snapped at them. Memories were powerful, though, and the scars they leave don’t always heal completely. Those three hundred years had left deep scars, some of which were still fresh and healing. Sometimes the boy wondered if he’d ever get rid of the dull ache in his chest.

It was an hour later when Jack rose from his seated position and stood on the branch. He stretched, popping joints back into place, before his hands fell limply at his sides.

Now was the hard part, going back to the Pole to apologize for blowing up. He could already see their faces in his mind, hard and set in disappointment. The images pulled a groan from his mouth and he wondered briefly if he could just stay at the lake forever. He knew that Aster would come looking for him eventually and he’d rather have this interaction be on his terms. Jumping from the branch, he allowed Wind to catch him and carry him toward the Pole.

\--

“Okay, everything is ready! Now one of us needs to go and get Sweet Tooth.”

Sandy, North, and Tooth all looked expectantly at Bunny, who was lounging in a chair near the door. He merely rolled his eyes and hauled himself up out of the chair.

“Be back with Snowflake in a tick.”

Just as Bunny was about to leave, Phil came rushing into the dining room. He warbled loudly, looking excited. Everyone looked to North for a translation.

“Ah! Really? Good!” North shooed Phil away before smiling triumphantly at his comrades. “Jack is already here. Phil says he is in globe room waiting.”

The three made a move toward the door, but Bunny blocked their path with his entire being.

“Let me, guys. I wanna talk to Frostbite before we bring ‘im in here.”

Everyone agreed to those terms and Bunny headed for the globe room. He was almost nervous to see his Snowflake, afraid of how he would react and most of all, afraid that he’d still be angry. The pooka stopped outside the globe room to take a deep, steadying breath before he pushed the doors open to face Jack.

The snow child was staring at the moon through the skylight, his hands holding his staff behind his back. Aster couldn’t see his face.

“He told me my name.” Jack’s voice startled Aster.

“That was all he told me though. No birthday, no story, no explanation.”

Bunny nodded as he walked toward his lover. They all knew about how Manny had ignored the snow child for three hundred years. The boy didn’t show any objection when Aster wrapped his arms around the boy’s waist and pulled him close. If anything, Jack leaned into the touch. He laid his arms on top of Bunny’s and held them tightly, afraid that they would disappear.

“I’m sorry I yelled earlier. It’s just hard sometimes, the memories…” Jack trailed off, his eyes finally falling from the moon and down to the fur on Aster’s arms.

The pooka shook his head before pressing a kiss to the crown of Jack’s head. “Don’t apologize, Jackie. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were right, we didn’t care and that was wrong of us. We failed you. And you need to know, we are _so sorry,_ Snowflake. For all of it.” The end was whispered against snow white hair. Bunny could feel cold splashes seeping through the fur on his arms and knew that Jack was crying. He held the boy tighter and buried his muzzle in Jack’s soft hair.

“I don’t blame you guys. You were busy, I caused messes, I get it. I’m just, it was so _hard_ being alone.” The words were choked out and half sobbed.

Bunny turned him so that he could hold Jack’s arms and look in his face. His spring green eyes were shining with desperation and guilt.

“You should blame us, Jack. We had no right to treat you that way, to ignore you that way. And we’ll never be able to make up for that. But you have to know,” he pressed his forehead to Jack’s and closed his eyes. He said his next words with as much conviction as he could convey. “You will _never_ be alone again, Jack. Because… I love you.” It was the first time either of them had said it. They had danced around it a bit, they had both almost said it but backed out. At this time, though, it felt right. Jack needed to know that Aster loved him with all his heart, against all odds, and he could never let Jack be alone again.

Jack let a sob fall from his lips before he pressed them firmly to Bunny’s. He wrapped his arms tightly around the pooka and clung to him, desperately, afraid that if he didn’t hang on, Bunny would walk away. Aster didn’t move away, he wrapped his arms around the snow child and held him as tightly as he could without bruising.

They broke away from each other, panting for breath, foreheads pressed together. Tears still lingered on Jack’s face.

“I love you too.” It was whispered, it was soft, but it was so _there_ and so _real_ that Bunny couldn’t help the helpless laugh that poured from his lips.

“You better,” the pooka said jokingly. Jack pressed a kiss to his forehead and whispered against it.

“Oh trust me, I do.” Bunny believed him, because Jack Frost was a lot of things, but Jack was never a liar.

The two stayed embraced for a few more minutes before Bunny slowly set Jack on his own two feet. The snow boy looked up at him with a gentle smile that Bunny couldn’t help but reciprocate.

“As much as I’d love to just go back to the Warren and relax, we can’t just yet.” His smile spread as he thought of the surprise he and the rest had set up for their youngest.

Jack looked at his lover with curious eyes, an excited smile slowly blooming on his face.

“What is it?”

“I’ll show you.” There was a twinkle of mischief in the pooka’s voice that only fueled the excitement churning in Jack’s belly.

He grabbed the offered paw and followed quickly behind his lover. Aster led him out of the globe room and down the hall toward the dining room where the rest of the guardians were waiting. He could feel his small companion practically vibrating with energy. It made the rabbit smile.

When the stopped in front of the grand double doors, the bringer of Hope could feel the boy deflate.

“The dining room?” Jack couldn’t keep the disappointment out of his voice. Not with images of a feast floating through his mind. Not only was food not high on his list of favorite things, a feast wasn’t really a surprise. North held several a year. He wasn’t going to complain no matter what it was, but he couldn’t deny that he’d been hoping something else.

The disappointment in his voice only made Bunny smile. The pooka knew what was behind the doors and knew that it was most definitely not what Jack thought it was.

“Yeah. Now ya gotta close yer eyes, mate. Surprise, ‘member?”

Jack obeyed wordlessly, sliding his eyes closed and thrusting his hands into his pocket. His crook stayed nestled in his elbow.

“Good onya, Jackie. You ready?”

Jack nodded.

The doors were pushed open and even with his eyes closed, he could tell that the room was brightly lit.

“Happy Birthday, Jack!” Chorused four loud voices accompanied by the jingling of bells and the warbles of the yetis.

Blue eyes flew open and he gaped at the room in front of him. Brightly colored ribbons and streamers were hung along the banisters and busts that lined the wall. Balloons were inflated and tied to the backs of chairs, some had even floated to flirt with the ceiling. On the table, there was indeed a feast, but it was sweets. Cookies, brownies, cupcakes, fruitcakes (much to Jack’s amusement), and largest of all, a three tear birthday cake done up in white and blue frosting. Delicately, there was a single candle on the top.

“Guys… What is all this?” His eyes continued to wander the room, taking in the elves with birthday hats on their normal hats. It was North who stepped forward with wide arms and a bright smile.

“Is birthday celebration! Everyone has one! Today is yours!” There was a twinkle of mirth in his sky blue eyes. It shadowed the waves of guilt rolling through him.

Jack didn’t reply. He walked forward and looked at the cake. It was decorated with simple icing snowflakes and in the middle of the lowest tear, it read ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!” in the same blue icing. He didn’t understand why the image was getting blurrier until a tear rolled half way down his cheek before freezing.

“I-I don’t know what to say,” he stuttered quickly, still staring at his name.

Soft, warm paws held his waist gently. A mouth touched his ear in a gentle kiss before a deep Australia voice whispered, “Don’t say anything, Snowflake. Just make a wish.”

Jack closed his eyes. He sucked in a deep breath and committed the date to memory.

_‘November 22 nd.’_

With his eyes still closed, he thought of the family around him, the lover behind him, and the cake in front of him. He felt the love, security, appreciation, and warmth that he’d only ever been able to look in on. It was overwhelming, terrifying, huge, but it felt so _right_. He could feel the hole in his chest got a little bit smaller and the ache of being alone lessened just a touch.

In a huge puff, he made his wish and he blew out his candle. His friend, his family, clapped and took turns hugging him affectionately. The cake was cut and served, conversation was had, and a bond was formed. A bond stronger than blood, a bond stronger than time. A bond that would last into eternity.

And the whole time, as he watched them laugh and smile with him, Jack thought about his wish.

_‘I wish to make them as happy as they make me.’_

_\--_

Late that night, the tired couple finally stepped back into the Warren. The eternal spring was dimmed to accommodate their sleep schedule and fireflies greeted them. Googies walked with them as they made their way toward the cottage, obviously curious as to why they’d been gone so long and out so late.

The two almost immediately fell into the nest when they entered their shared room. Jack curled in close to Aster’s chest, his hands threaded in soft, thick fur and face nuzzled into his neck.

“Thank you,” he whispered against the junction.

Aster held the boy more tightly, his nose buried in white hair and his mouth pressing gentle kisses.

“I love you, Snowflake.”

“I love you too, Cottontail.”

The night air filled with soft chuckles that tapered off into content hums and the soft breathing of sleep.   


	8. Trees and Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Jack's second Christmas with the Guardians. He reflects on how his life has changed; how his relationships have changed. And then they give him a gift that reminds him of everything he lost, but shows him everything that he gained.

_Late-December_

Proudly, the tall noble fir tree stood. It was one of many around the Workshop, but it was obvious that this particular tree got more decorative attention than the rest. It was place in the corner of North’s favorite sitting room, opposite the large fire that roared in the hearth. All throughout the branches, small twinkling lights were twisted and twined. Large, bright red spheres hung next to perfect, unbroken candy canes. Sitting proudly at the top of the tree, a gold star shone with the light of the fire.

The ancient wood of a shepherd’s crook touched the surface of one large ornament. Frost spread out over the bright red of the glass. Like ferns, it curled and spread. The light of the fire made the frost twinkle like glitter. The image brought a small smile to Jack’s face before he pulled away from the base of the tree.

It was the night after Christmas. The Workshop had been cleaned and organized after the chaos of the last few days before North’s holiday. Now, the yetis were bustling about to get a feast ready. Since North was busy the night of Christmas Eve and sleeping the day of Christmas, today was the first available day for a small party for the Guardians to celebrate a time of family, gift giving, and thanks. When Jack had attended his first party last year, he’d asked Tooth why it was a Guardians exclusive party.

“Well, not all spirits or holidays are Guardians. It was a day for just us, to speak and relax. That’s why there is a New Year’s party. It’s to celebrate the end of the year with all the immortals,” she had explained.

That made sense to Jack. He remembered the pomp and circumstance of the New Year’s party. He hadn’t formally attended, despite his invitation from North. He’d peaked in on the Pole during the party. He had been happy he wasn’t attending, too many spirits that disliked him. He would have caused problems. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble for the family he had just found.

This year, North had extended the same invitation, this time a little more forcefully than last year. In reality, Jack knew that he needed to attend this year. Not only was he a Guardian, but he was a winter elemental. He was expected to go to big events and mingle. And he had a feeling that the Russian wouldn’t let him sneak out as easily this year.

Pushing the thoughts of the party from his head, in an effort not to stress himself out during the dinner, he thought back on the last year and his time with the Guardians. It made him grin to think about the fact that less than two years ago, he had detested the Guardians. It was amazing to think about the way relationships could change. Especially, certain relationships.

The thoughts of the Easter Bunny that sprang forth in his head brought a thin layer of frost over the eternal teen’s cheeks. Oh yes, relationships could definitely chang—

“I thought I’d find ya in here.” The deep Australian twang interrupted the winter spirit’s thoughts.

Turning in surprise, his face settled into a quick grin at the sight of his lover leaning against the door jamb across the room from him.

“What took you so long? I thought you were just getting ingredients today?” Jack had wondered where the bunny had been tonight. He would have thought Aster had finished much earlier this afternoon. Quickly, Jack walked away from the shining tree and toward the bright smile of Bunny. Aster accepted the boy into his arms easily, encasing Jack in warmth and fur. Jack snuggled into the embrace and breathed a sigh of relief.

This was the first time they had been close in a few weeks. Jack had been travelling so much around the world, spreading snow and frost and fun to all the children of the world. The boy left early in the mornings and, if he returned to the Warren at all, got in so late that Aster was already dead asleep when Jack crawled into bed. The white haired teen had longed for a moment to just be with each other and now that he had it, he didn’t want to let Aster go.

Gently, though, the rabbit pulled away from Jack, who whined in displeasure, and grinned.

“I know, Jackie. It’s time for dinner, though, and all our friends are waiting out there for us. You promised to take tonight off, so after dinner we’ll have a whole night and day together. Just a few hours.”

With a heavy, over dramatic sigh and an eye roll that proved his eternal age, Jack let his arms fall from Bunny’s waist. A slight pout curled his bottom lip and with one look under his lashes, Bunny groaned and swept the smaller boy into his arms. Their lips smashed together hungrily as hands roamed over arms and chests and faces.

The kiss didn’t last nearly long enough for Jack. All too soon, Aster was pulling away. Panting, he set Jack on his feet and took a step back.

“Later, Snowflake, I promise.”

Jack, still breathing heavily, nodded. After a moment— which was taken so that Jack could rub the frost from his cheeks— the two walked out of the sitting room. Hand in hand, they headed toward the dining room, where they would already hear the sounds of their friends laughing.

\--

North’s booming laugh echoed through the dining hall. It bounced off the walls around them and filled the room with warmth and joy. There was a blush spread over his cheeks that gave away how much he’d had to drink that evening. They’d all have a little bit of eggnog, despite the fact that Jack had to practically beg to be allowed. They had all argued that he was only eighteen years old, which was three years younger than the drinking age in America, where he lived. To which that argument, Jack brought up the fact that he had been alive for more than three hundred years. They had conceded to that and allowed him to have a glass of the eggnog. He’d sipped on it all night, enjoying the little buzz that it gave him. Everyone else, however, was on their third or fourth glass. Bright cheeks and smiles lit up everyone’s faces as laughter rang through the air.

A little while later, the laughter died down. Dessert had just been finished and everyone felt the sleepiness that came at the end of a feast. Jack could feel his eyelids drooping when North cleared his throat and smiled down the table at him.

“Before you nod off, there is something we want to give you.” A smile was exchanged by the older four Guardians, while Jack simply looked around in confusion.

“Alright? What is it?” Jack stifled a yawn. The curiosity of what they could possibly have for him staved off some of the sleepiness settling in his brain. Hundreds of possibilities ran through is head and with each one, he got a little bit more excited.

As he rose from the table, North motioned for the winter elemental to follow. The rest of the Guardians got up as well and together they filed out of the dining room as yetis came in to clear the table.

North led them into his favorite sitting room. As the large Russian man walked over to a shelf, Jack took a moment to admire the gorgeous ice train track on the desk. It was beautiful clear ice, carved intricately and carefully. With a small smile, he cast a miniature snow fall over the track, completing the image of a winter wonderland.

A chuckle behind him pulled his attention back to the others in the room, all of whom were grinning at him.

North stepped forward with his large arms behind his back. Excitement nearly had Jack bouncing on the tips of his toes as he stepped toward North as well.

“Jack, we know that it was agreed that there would be no presents. However, we thought no better time than to give you this.”

A folded piece of parchment paper was produced from behind the gift giver’s back. It looked old, tattered at the edges and crinkled all over. Tentatively, more confused than ever, Jack reached out to gently take the paper. With slow, careful hands, he unfolded the paper. It was much larger than he anticipated and after a moment, he found himself sitting cross legged on the floor spreading it out to get a better look at it. It was covered in small black writing connected by thin black lines. There were hundreds of names and years spread out over the parchment. After a moment, Jack found his own name, under the names of his parents and next to the name of his sister.

Then it clicked.

Leaning closer to the paper, his eyes roamed over the names of his relatives, the names of cousins and aunts and uncles. The names of _nieces and nephews._ The names of the children his sister had after his death. The name of her husband. The names of her children’s children.

The dates of the deaths of his mother, his sister. He had been alive when his father had died. He had died in a hunting accident when Jack was young; his sister had only been a year old.

He wondered for a moment why the paper had abruptly become blurry until it cleared again and a tear drop appeared on the paper. Quickly, he dabbed the drop away, not wanting to ruin the gift.

Managing to pull his eyes from the sheet, he looked at his friends in bewilderment. So many questions burned at the tip of his tongue but only one came out.

“How?”

Tooth floated toward him and landed next to him. She placed her hand over his and smiled down at the paper.

“It was Aster’s idea,” she started quietly, “We realized that you never knew what happened to your family after your death. For so long you didn’t even know that they were your family. And to only find out about them now must be…”

She trailed off with a shake of the head before continuing. “We wanted to give you a way of knowing what happened to them. I know that it’s no replacement for the years lost but we thought you’d like to at least see where your family is now. Who they ended up with, what children they had, maybe it would give you an idea of what their lives were like, and… and…”

Jack held up a hand to stop her from talking, his eyes once again were glued to the paper.

“You’re babbling, Tooth.”

She smiled at him and moved slowly back from him as Aster slowly walked over to his lover. Jack hardly noticed the shift. His eyes were tracing through the years and names of his sister’s children. She had married a local boy who she’d always been close to. The snow bringer approved of the relationship and nodded solemnly. He wished he’d been able to be there. She had three children, two girls and a boy. The boy had been named ‘Jackson’. Tears gathered in his eyes again but he wiped his eyes quickly before they would fall onto the paper again.

A furred paw touched his shoulder, breaking his concentration.

“Do you like it, Jackie?”

It took a few swallows before his throat was cleared enough for him to speak.

“Like it? Like it? I love it. It’s more than I could ever ask for. It means so much to me to know what happened to them, to her…” With the tip of his index finger he touched his sister’s name.

Aster understood this pain. The pain of loss, of not knowing, of loneliness. Yes, it was slightly different, but the basic feelings were the same. He placed his paw over Jack’s hand and squeezed gently.

“I know that they’re gone now, remember that you have us though. We’re your family now. And we’re never going away,” he whispered against cool skin. Jack nodded, too choked up to speak. Slowly, he moved his hand away from his sister’s name and held Aster’s paw tightly. He turned his head away from the paper and buried his face in the neck next to him.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Aster smiled up at his fellow guardians who smiled back at him. It was safe to say that the gift had been well received.

\--

Later that night, as the two of them curled into their nest and enjoyed a content silence, Jack thought about his sister and his mother. He thought about the father that he hardly remembered. He thought about the nieces and nephew that he never knew.

The thoughts made him sad. They made him lonely and mad at the injustice of his fate.

Then furry arms tightened around his waist, a cool nose nuzzled into his temple.

His thoughts turned to the family he had now. The friends that he had now. The lover that he had now.

The loneliness and anger and sadness dissipated. They floated away as he moved closer to Aster and sighed contentedly. Yes, he’d missed the lives of his first family, but he wouldn’t miss a minute of time with his current family.


	9. Nicknames and Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack thinks on the nicknames the Guardians have given him and how his relationship with each of them has changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I just wanted to apologize that this chapter is so short. I really like the idea but ran out of things to say. I didn't want to start repeating myself. I hope you guys like it!

_Mid-January_

Each one of them called him something different. At first, he had always been “Jack” to them. He had been the troublemaking snow bringer that only got in the way. So, he was just “Jack”. They had changed now. The dynamic had shifted and he was no longer simply “Jack”.

North called him “Jack, my boy”. It was a small change. Two simple words added to his name, but each time it was said with a soft kind of affection that brought tears to Jack’s eyes. Slowly, North had become the father figure that he had been missing. He helped guide Jack through his mistakes and duties as a Guardian in a way that Jack had never been taught. He’d had to learn the ins and outs of being the man of the house on his own when he was alive.

Tooth called him “Sweet Tooth”. Each time she said it, a large smile would spread out over his face. Tooth loved teeth and for her to call him “Sweet Tooth” reassured him that Tooth loved him as well. She often reminded Jack of his mother. The image of kindness, compassion, and smiles. She was gentle and sweet to him, always speaking softly and reassuring him when he was worried about something. She would invite him to her palace with offers of tea and cookies, and every time he left, he received a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Sandy had switched names for him during the time that they had been friends. For a few months, it had been the image of a snowflake made of sand. Jack had enjoyed the symbol. It was simple and to the point. Recently, though, he had switched to the image of Jack’s staff. At first, the snow child had been confused by the switch. He’d gotten used to it now, though, and had even grown to like it. His staff was a part of him, an extension of his power, and the unique part of him that he carried outside himself. In the end, even though he didn’t understand why it had changed, he was happy that it did. He had known Sandy for the longest out of all the Guardians. They would often sit and speak with each other while Sandy spread his sand to the children of the world. They’d talk, play games, and see what shapes the sand took when Jack would hit it with ice. It was like having an older brother, someone to look out for you, spend time with you, and keep you company when there was no one else there.

It was Aster who had changed the most. The names had started out cruel. They were pointed and angry, thrown into the air so as to hurt Jack. Throughout the fight with Pitch, however, the names had shifted. They had lost their edge. In the months after the fight had ended, the names had changed entirely.  Aster ended up having the most nicknames for him. They ranged from “Frostbite” to “Jackie”. By far, his favorite was “Snowflake”. Every time that Bunny said it, his voice was impossibly soft and tender, a side of Bunny that Jack didn’t know existed.

Shaking himself from his musings, Jack gave a loud yawn and sat back against the tree he was perching in. The sun was setting in Burgess. He was waiting for nightfall so that he could start the small storm planned for the area. Technically, he was supposed to start the snowfall around four, but when he’d arrived in his hometown, he’d seen children playing outside and people driving home from work or school or errand running. It had made him hesitate to start the storm. He decided to wait until the majority of the town was safely in their homes for the night.

Ten minutes later, the boy rose from his seat and twirled is staff between his fingers. With a light push off his branch, Jack took off into the air over Burgess. Making the storm was easy. He soared high above buildings and parks into the clouds that had gathered above him. He couldn’t create the clouds that the snow fell from, Mother Nature did that. He was simply told where a storm was set to begin. Once he arrived at the destination, he cooled the water gathered in the clouds and gave the large plumes of white a gentle nudge to make the flakes fall to the Earth. Depending on how much snow was demanded, decided on how long he had to stay in any certain area. Thankfully tonight, Burgess was only getting a dusting of a few inches of snow.

That meant that in about half an hour, he was going to be able to go home to the nest where his love waited for him.

With a soft smile, Jack continued to dance through the clouds and freezing water into snowflakes, all the while thinking about the family he had built and the home waiting for him.


	10. Memories and Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack tells the story of how he met each other Guardians before he was chosen by MiM. The Guardians realize how they had treated their youngest and they reassure him that he isn't alone anymore.

_Late-February_

Each of them had met Jack before the Man in the Moon had chosen him to be a Guardian.

\--

The meeting was just drawing to a close. Everyone had done their sharing on what they had been up to. Jack had just finished telling the group about his three day stay with the Winter Court. They Guardians had been fascinated by the formality and hierarchy of the court. Jack had explained that he was one of the elementals that delivered weather for Mother Nature, but he worked directly under Old Man Winter. He was required to go to all court events to represent himself and Mother Nature. This particular event happened every ten years in which all the court members gathered to report their work and mingle with each other. Everyone, especially Tooth, was impressed by his position in the court and his power among the other elementals. Jack’s eyes had gone far away for a moment, as if he was lost in a memory, before he shook himself out of it and smiled.

“Yeah, well, I’ve been a part of the court for a long time. Mother Nature took an almost immediate liking to me and started having me run snow for her very soon after meeting me. Old Man Winter took a little bit longer to get used to me.” A chuckle slipped from his lips when he recalled his first meeting of Old Man Winter. He’d been a brand new spirit, born from the lake just a decade prior.

Bunny cast a look of confusion at the boy. “Wait, how long have you been a part of the court, Jackie?”

The winter youth looked at Aster as he tried to do the mental math. “I join about ten years after I rose from the lake. So, almost three hundred years. For a long time, they were the only people who talked to me. Besides Sandy that is.” He smiled at his friend, who returned the smile.

That statement only brought on more confusion. The egg painter turned more fully toward Jack, is eyebrows pinched in thought.

“How long have you known Sandy?”

Sensing that a long story was about to be told, all of the Guardians got comfortable in their seats before Jack started his tale.

“About two hundred years. I met him about a hundred years after I joined the court.” He remembered the day like it was yesterday. “I was running snow one night for Mother and literally ran right into him. I was in a hurry and wasn’t paying a lot of attention.” He smiled at the memory. “It was actually pretty funny. I was covered in sand and he was covered in frost.”

A sand made smiley face appeared over the dream weaver’s head at the story.

“Sandy told me about you guys actually. I didn’t know that others besides the court existed until I met him.” His smile turned softer, almost sad, as he started the story.

“I went to visit North first. I was _amazed_ at the size of the Workshop,” he glanced around the room with that same astonishment, “but when I tried to get inside, the yetis yelled at me. At the time, I didn’t understand what they were yelling, so I thought it was a game of sorts. Something for fun. I tried to break in more and more, just to see it, and because I liked “playing” with the yetis. I eventually realized it wasn’t a game, when they started actually _throwing_ me out into the cold.” He looked down at his hands. “I stopped trying to get in after that. It was obvious that I wasn’t invited.”

North felt a stone of guilt settle heavily in his stomach. His throat closed up and his heart pounded like a horse’s hooves on the road. Jack had been right at his door for so long, yet he’d never met him. Never taken the time out of his day to meet the boy himself. When the Russian had first heard to the trouble making youngster trying to get into his shop, he’d told Phil to handle it and only give him updates when something changed. The toy maker remembered being relieved when Phil told him that the “young white haired lad” had stopped coming by.

“I went to see Tooth after that. I didn’t make it very far. I only just caught glimpse of the palace before the heat was too much for me. I was nearly a hundred years younger at that point, still not grown into my powers. It was much harder for me to handle the heat at that time. I met a few of her fairies along the way, they were very sweet to me, but in a hurry at the time. They didn’t have time to talk and I couldn’t stay long anyway.”

Tooth reached out a hand to touch his but thought better of it and dropped it back into her lap. She remembered her girls mentioning someone being near the palace. The little teeth collectors had described a young boy dressed in blue and brown flying through the air toward the palace. Tooth had been too busy filing teeth and sending out fairies to even reply to their story. The little fairies had shrugged and moved along with the gathering, the memory of Jack already at the back of their minds.

“I met Bunny last.”

The rabbit flinched at those words, knowing what story was going to be told.

“It was the Easter of 1968. It was the last day of the winter court gathering. I was mingling with some of the other spirits, or well, trying to mingle. As much as Mother and Winter accepted me into the court, the lower spirits weren’t as accepting.” His fists tightened in his lap as he remembered that night. “I was minding my own business, just about to leave the party actually. Mother had asked me to see her before I left because she had a few places she wanted snow fall. When I went to talk to her, a few of the other elementals were trying to earn her favor, kissing up and being little pets.

She wasn’t having any of it, she was cold and blowing the off right and left. When she realized I was there, she embraced me immediately and treated me with a lot of affection. Despite being called Mother Nature, she doesn’t actually have any biological children of her own and I’m the youngest of the court, in age at least. I think she sees me as a child of her own sometimes.”

He laughed and shook his head. “I never saw her that way. She’s loud and animated, nothing like my birth mother. It was hard to see her like that. She treated me as her child anyway, though, which meant she was much warmer with me than other court goers. This caused… Jealousy.” The word fell heavy in the air, leaving behind all the implications that came with the word. Each Guardian could feel their anger rise and their hands curl. They knew where the story was going now.

“I tried to keep the conversation with Mother short, I could feel them staring at me. She told me to drop snow in a few locations, but I was so distracted by their hot stares on my back that I didn’t pay attention to where or how much. She didn’t seem to notice their stares and it took a long time for her to let me leave.”

The white haired boy looked out the window at the flakes falling against the pane. Standing, the fun maker walked over to the window and pushed it open a crack. Wind pushed her way through the small space and wrapped herself around her snow child. She ruffled his clothes and hair in an attempt to comfort him. The other Guardians watched with a feeling of curiosity and amazement. They were always curious about the relationship between their small friend and the air that carried him through the skies.

Comforted by the embrace of his oldest friend, Jack continued his story.

“I tried to get out of the party as fast as I could. They cornered me near the front room of Mother’s home. Three of them, messengers of Winter’s that delivered messages for him and occasionally made small flurries when I was busy doing something for Mother. They were angry, but it wasn’t the hot kind of anger that I had seen before. It was _cold_. The kind of anger pointed at someone you hate. They… said things to me. The kind of stuff that you can’t just ignore. Words that stick to you and can’t just roll off your back. They didn’t touch me,” The Guardian’s of Children could sense an undertone to those words. They could feel the words _that time_ buried in his tone.

“I left the party a mess. Crying, angry, hurt, the whole nine yards of an emotional mess. I went to the only spot that I remembered from Mother’s list of places and I just… Blew up.

Snow _everywhere._ I remember screaming, I think, I might have been crying. I don’t remember it very clearing. I spent so much thought and energy into throwing snow and ice everywhere.”

A bitter laugh burst from his mouth.

“I woke up on the ground. I think I had fallen after creating all the snow. I immediately felt bad. I’d dropped nearly two feet of snow on an area that I found out later only needed a few inches.”

A smile appeared, small and shy.

“That’s when I met Bunny. He came bounding through the snow, all fury and raised fur. I thought that he looked kind of cute, until he punched me.”

The other Guardians were shocked at the statement and all eyes turned to Bunny, whose ears were flat against his skull as he stared out the window.

“Aster! How could you? He’s just a child!” Tooth demanded in indignation, her eyes burning with motherly love and fierce protection.

“Hey!” the lovers said in unison, both glaring at the tooth collector. She returned the glare.

Jack was the first to look away from the glare, his bright blue eyes shifting toward the wind again.

“It wasn’t his fault,” Jack muttered. Aster’s eyes moved quickly to Jack’s face, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

“What?” the rabbit whispered. Jack shrugged, not meeting his boyfriend’s gaze.

“I _ruined_ that holiday for you. I put those people in danger. And for what, because some other spirits got jealous and said something mean?” Jack shook his head in disappointment and scoffed. “It was my fault.”

Bunny scooted closer to his lover and touched a gentle paw to Jack’s shoulder. The wind pushed against the touch, angered by the memory of her snow child being hurt. Aster ignored the push and attempted to soothe his love.

“Jack, that wasn’t your fault. First of all, those spirits had no right to treat you that way. And… I had no right either. You didn’t do it on purpose, I know that now.”

Jack moved away from his touch and stood, facing the window and crossing his arms over his middle. It looked like he was trying to hold himself together. His frame was stiff.

“It doesn’t matter what they did to me or what you did to me. What matters is that _I_ did. I should have had better control of my emotions. All I did was reinforce what you thought of me. What you all thought of me. You already thought I was a troublemaker and all I did was prove you right. All I did was prove to everyone that I’m just some kid that doesn’t know how to control my powers and creates a mess everywhere I go.”

Hearing Pitch’s words echo from his mouth made Jack’s heart squeeze. He had to swallow several times before the lump in his throat disappeared enough for Jack to speak again.

“If it hadn’t have happened, maybe I would have met you on better terms. Maybe we could have started as friends.”

They could all hear the words that he didn’t say. _Maybe if it didn’t happen, he wouldn’t have been alone for so long._

Aster rose from his seat and walked toward Jack’s stiff figure. Slowly, he placed his paws on Jack’s shoulders and nuzzled his nose against the top of Jack’s head. One by one, the other Guardians joined the pair. Tooth wrapped her thin arms around the white haired boy’s waist and rested her head on Bunny’s paw. North laid a large hand over the rabbit’s and squeezed gently. Last, Sandy flew over to stand in front of Jack. He created a small figure of Jack standing alone above his head. Then, he created a figure for each other guardians standing in a group next to each other. The figures moved next to each other so that they were all standing as one big group. Above the group, in glittery sand, the word ‘family’ shone in the candle light of the sitting room.

A small smile crossed the boy’s lips. “Thanks little man.”

There, surrounded by his new family and the first friend he had ever made, Jack soaked in the love he could feel in the room. He soaked in the feeling of people comforting him and supporting him. In that moment, the small bit of shame and guilt over the Easter of ’68 disappeared. Like a single flake trapped on a child’s nose, it melted away amongst the warmth.

\--

Jack clung tight to Bunny that night. After the group hug broke apart, only a few words were said before each went their own ways. Jack crawled onto Bunny’s back, holding his staff tightly in front of the rabbit’s neck. The Easter Bunny held him tightly as he tapped the floor and disappeared down the tunnel. They returned to the Warren quickly, where the gentle sun greeted them like an old friend. Wind danced through the Warren with easily felt glee. It made Jack smile. He liked that the Wind enjoyed the Warren as much as he did.

Bunny set him on his own two feet and the two of them joined hands. Walking toward the burrow, Bunny thought about what Jack had said. His words echoed loudly in the rabbit’s head.

_‘He’s right though. I did think of him that way. I thought he was a trouble making kid. I hurt him out of anger for something that wasn’t his fault. I thought that all he did was make messes.’_

“Jack, wait.” Bunny stopped walking and turned the boy toward him. He held both of Jack’s hands in his large paws and looked down at them. He squeezed gently before bringing the pale hands to his nose. He breathed in the smell of crisp mornings and freshly fallen snow, mingled with the light scent of North’s sugar cookies. He nuzzled against them before speaking.

“I was wrong.”

Jack looked startled at those words. Gently, he pulled his hands from Aster’s grasp. “Wrong about what?” His voice shook slightly, like he was afraid. Bunny realized how much he hated that. He hated that Jack was still afraid.

“About you,” he held up a hand before Jack could interrupt. He could see the desperation and fear in his blue eyes. “I was wrong about you then. And I was wrong to hurt you then.”

He hugged Jack to his chest and snuffled into his hair, prodding his nose against the boy’s cool temple.

“And I’m so sorry, Snowflake. More than you’ll ever know.”

Jack held Bunny tightly and tried to hold back the tears gathering in his eyes. There were no words that Jack could say. So he didn’t try. In the dim light of the Warren at night, the two embraced.

In those moments, everything was forgiven.


	11. Melting and Meltdowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sandy happens upon Jack when he's hurt and running. Unable to catch up with Jack, Sandy goes to North for help. When all the Guardians are gathered, they search for their youngest. What happens, though, when the find out more than they could ever guess?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is physical and mental abuse in this chapter, as well as bullying. There is also slight mentions of self harm. 
> 
> NOTE: This is a two part chapter. It will contain this chapter and the next, which will be titled: 'Scars and Secrets'.

_Late-May_

It was Sandy that alerted them that something was wrong. He burst into the workshop in a flurry of nervous energy and sand. He nearly rammed into North’s beefy leg as he flew into the workroom. His hands were waving frantically and large drops of sand, like tears, fell down his face. North glanced down at his small friend with a cheery smile that melted away like frost on a window.

“Sandy? What is wrong? Why the sand tears?”

Signs flashed quickly above the dream weaver’s head. Too quickly, North could only catch partial pieces of signs before they disappeared.

“Sandy, please slow down sighs. Can’t understand them.”

Sandy shook his head, frustration easily read on his face. Finally, the words that stopped North’s heart flashed above his head.

_It’s Jack._

\--

Not two minutes later, the aurora borealis lit up the northern sky like lights on a Christmas tree. Ten minutes later, Tooth zipped in through the window, her wings lined with frost and her cheeks bright pink from the cold. She was given a hot drink and a blanket while they waited for Bunny’s arrival. She asked a few times about what was so important to send out the aurora, but North refused to speak about anything until Aster got here. When she asked Sandy, he shook his head and stared down at the ground.

Aster hopped out of the hole he created in North’s floor. He looked confused. He also had no idea could have happened that called him here.

“Da, Bunny, is good that you are here,” North greeted. Turning, he faced his fellow Guardians with a grim look on his face. With a small motion of his hand, Sandy floated over to him. His face was still a mask of sadness.

“Tell them what you told me, Sanderson.” The sandman nodded.

Waving his hands out, tendrils of sand started to shape into words.

_It’s Jack. We ran into each other this morning, very early. He was scared, hurt, blood on his lip. I tried to talk to him, he closed off and left. He was scared of something, running from something. He created snow so I could not follow. I haven’t been able to find since._

The room was silent for a split second before it was a bustling with noise. Everyone was talking at once, making it hard to understand any of them. Bunny ended up being the loudest.

He stormed toward Sandy, fury and fright bright in his eyes.

“Where is he, Sanderson? Where did you see him? Where did he go?!” He didn’t realized he was yelling until a small hand was placed on his shoulder.  

“Aster, calm down. Sandy didn’t do anything wrong. He tried his hardest to find Jack, but you know how he is. If Jack doesn’t want to be found, he won’t be found.”

Aster could feel himself shaking, the anger and fear coursing through his veins. He didn’t care that Sandy had _tried._ He should have succeeded. He should have gotten Jack to come back.

His voice was low, deep and dark. “Where, Sandy? Where did you run into him?”

Sandy looked away from his friends. Slowly, the sand above his head shaped into an Earth with a thick line around its middle.

_The equator._

\--

Jack regretted running. He regretted not asking Sandy for help when he had the chance. He regretted not asking for help ever.

This wasn’t the first time that Winter’s messengers had gotten physical with him. Most of the time it happened when they run into each other while running errands for their respective bosses. This time was different. He’d been giving Texas a light dusting of cool dew, something that wasn’t always his forte but that Mother asked him to try anyway. They had ambushed him.

To be honest, he was surprised that it hadn’t happened sooner. The court had been abuzz with the news that he had become a Guardian. Some of the other court members hadn’t taken the news very well. He had been expecting this for years now.

Jeremy, the smallest of the group, was the oldest and had been at Old Man Winter’s side for the longest. The other two were younger, twin spirits that had been chosen nearly a century after Jeremy. No one knew their names, given that they rarely spoke. They were often just referred to as the twins among the court.

It had started with words. The three of them circled around him like cats of prey staring at a wounded antelope. Jack had kept a cool head for most of it, ignoring the jibes as he made his snow as warm as possible so that it came out and barely-above-freezing water.

When they realized they weren’t going to get a rise out of him with words, they turned to something else. They would tug on his hood, pull his hair, trip him, and occasionally throw a punch or two. This was when Jack started to get angry. The dew turned to ice when his hand clutched tightly around his staff. They didn’t miss the shift.

They pressed harder and harder against him, more hits, more words. Jack started to fire back.

“You’re just angry that you’re the court lap dogs and I have an actually position!” He finally snapped, turning to face them. Frost had gathered on his cheeks and his eyes shone with irritation.

That was enough to push them over the edge. They charged him so fast that he couldn’t defend himself. One of them, the largest of the three, held his arms tightly behind his back, pinning them there at an awkward angle that didn’t quite hurt, but ached sharply.

They took turns hitting him, first with his own staff. That didn’t last long. When one of the twins took a swing at him, Jack grabbed the crook and yanked with all his might. Not expecting it, the staff came easily from the messenger boy’s hands. Jack clutched it tightly and pushed off the ground with all his might. He took to the air and flew as fast as he could.

He knew that he was being followed, but that they were relishing the chase. They enjoyed stalking him, like a cat stalks a mouse.   
  
It surprised Jack when he ran into the dream weaver. Sometimes the winter spirit forgot that Sandy worked almost all the time, all over the world. He wishes he had said something to his fellow Guardian. Instead, he had run. He had been scared that they would see him. See him talking to Sandy and think that he was telling on them. No, he couldn’t let that happen so he ran. Like a coward.

They caught up with him a few miles after he’d run into Sandy. The snow child had hoped that the small storm he created would deter them, but it seemed to only make them angrier. They caught up to him easily, grabbing him and pulling him down to the Earth. They immediately took his staff and threw it far out of reach, making sure that there was no possibility of him fleeing again. They were beyond peeved and annoyed now, they were angry. Mother Nature’s stupid boy had made this more trouble than it was worth but they couldn’t let the troublesome child get away with it. They beat and they punched and they spat angry words.

Soon, they were bored that Jack had stopped responding. They let him fall to the ground. They stood over him, glaring. One of them spit on him. He didn’t know which one of them it was.

“You should have just stayed out of our way. Stayed out of the court. Stay alone, like a trouble maker like you belongs. And now, we’re going to make sure that you stay away.”

One of them dragged him by his hood as they walked. They only walked for a few minutes before there was a whoosh of air and suddenly, it was so much hotter than Jack had ever imagined it could be.

“Leave him here. He’ll melt by tomorrow.”

They left. The fun bringer was laying on hot dirt, or maybe it was sand. It burned into his skin, scalding him and leaving him feeling itchy.  

His body lost its shape, blurring around the edges and fading. It looked as if he was evaporating. His pale skin turned a strange shade of baby blue as the frost over his body melted away, dripping off him and rising to the clouds. He gasped, almost as if he was drowning. As if his frozen center was melting inside of him and he was drowning in the water that collected. His whole body wavered, like ripples on a lake.

His fine motor skills and comprehension go first. He’s unable to speak and can’t curl his fingers around his staff. By now, it’s hard to even see his fingers. They’re hazy and almost transparent.

When he coughed wetly, water rushed out of his mouth like a hose. He sputtered and tried to regain his breath, but he’s crawling on the ground and even the soil is radiating heat and he can’t breathe.

For a second time, Jack Frost is sure he’s going to die.

\--

As soon as they had a location, the Guardians left the Workshop. Tooth deployed several of her fairies to spread out along the equator to see if they would find the young boy. Bunny flitted in and out of his tunnels, tasting the air to find Jack. Tooth, North, and Sandy stayed in the air and looked down from the skies to find their youngest.

It was one of Tooth’s girls that found Jack. She immediately zoomed off to find her mother, frantic to get help for the boy who had saved her and her sisters. When she found the Tooth Fairy, she immediately relayed her message. Tooth ordered her to go and find the others while she went to Jack.

The ground around his body was damp from the frost that melted from his clothes and hair. His arms were transparent, vaguely outlined; he looked like he was made of empty glass. His skin was no longer pale, or blue, but an unhealthy shade of peach and red, like that of a human with a fever. Red, bloody water was running from the corners of his mouth and his nose, steadily. He was unconscious and didn’t react to any amount of stimulus.

Tooth fluttered over him frantically, touching his cheeks and shoulders, shaking him carefully.

“Jack? Jack! Please wake up, open your eyes, anything, Jack!” she spoke in a high, reedy voice that gave away how terrified she was.

A moment later, the remaining Guardians appeared around her.

 Bunny looked on in horror, Sandy floated over the boy and prodded at his head with dream sand. No dreams appeared out of the golden sand, immediately throwing Tooth into overdrive. She rolled him over onto his back and shook his shoulders. From this position, she could see the scratches on Jack’s face. The scrapes and bruising. Her tears fell onto his face.

Quickly, North scooped the boy into his arms and cradled him gently. His body was quivering; his brows were drawn tight in pain. He gave the others one look before withdrawing a globe.

“Santoff Clausen.” The other guardians were already on their way there.

\--

Jack woke up feeling strange. His muscles were sore and tight, as if he’d been tense when he fell asleep and never relaxed. A groan pulled from his lips as he attempted to roll over and go back to sleep. Only then did the winter sprite realize that he wasn’t in the nest. He was lying in an oblong tub of slushy water; something he believed was once snow. It was ice cold and felt amazing on his aching body. With a sigh, he relaxed into the chill and savored the feeling.

Something nagged at his mind, though.

The last thing he remembered was hitting the ground, water pushing its way out of his mouth and drenching his chest. He remembered the other Jeremy and the twins attacking him. He could feel the places where he’d been hit throb when he attempted to move. A quick run of the tongue over his lip told him that he had a busted lip and if the ache in his nose told him anything, he might have a broken nose as well. Glancing up, he could tell that he was no longer outside. Rather, he was in his spare room at North’s place.

Deciding that answers to questions were more important than sleeping, he dragged his overworked body out of the tub and rested shaking feet on the floor. He wobbled for a moment before balancing and looking around for his clothes. His hoodie and pants were folded up neatly on a chair in the corner, along with a pair of shorts and a maroon t-shirt he’d never seen before.

As warm as he still felt, he pulled his hoodie over his head anyway. He grabbed his staff from its place next to his clothes and ventured out of the room.

The workshop was its normal hustle and bustle, despite Christmas being a full half year away. Yetis, for the most part, parted as he walked down the hallway. The elves were a different story; they seemed to get under your feet on purpose. Avoiding as many of the pointed headed minions as possible, Jack made his way to the main living room, where he’d knew he’d undoubtedly find someone.

What he wasn’t expecting was to find everyone. All four of the other Guardians were situated somewhere in the room, looking tired and tense. It was Tooth who caught sight of him, bewildered in the doorway, first. She rushed over to him with the force to knock over a tree. Having seen it coming, Jack braced himself and caught her.

“Whoa, Tooth, calm down? What’s with the hysterics?” he asked, patting her back gently as he tears soaked his shoulder. He knew that he had been hurt and in a bit of trouble, but was it really worth all the tears? She pushed away from him hard and scowled through her tears.

“What were those Jack? What happened?” she asked him, causing him to look at her strangely. What was she talking about?

Upon seeing his confusion, Toothiana’s eyes moved from his face down to his sleeve covered arms, which she held gently in her tiny hands.

The realization of what she was talking about his Jack like a ton of bricks. He stepped away from her as if she had slapped him. It hadn’t occurred to him what waking up naked meant. It meant that someone had to undress him. It meant that someone had _seen._

Bunny stared at Jack from across the room. His eyes were filled with something that Jack couldn’t identify. Only then did Aster realized he’d never seen Jack without his hoodie on, not even when they shared a bed. He always had it on, sleeves pulled down to his hands. How had he never noticed?

“Jack,” he started, taking a few steps toward his lover, “What happened to your arms?”

Jack looked around desperately, looking for an out. Looking for a way to escape this situation. Seeing none, he wilted like a flower in fall.

 Clutching his staff tightly to his chest, Jack looked anywhere but at his family.

“ _I_ happened. I did this to myself.”

\-----


	12. Scars and Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Guardians try to understand. Somewhere, there is a missed step in communication though.

_Previously…_

_Bunny stared at Jack from across the room. His eyes were filled with something that Jack couldn’t identify. Only then did Aster realized he’d never seen Jack without his hoodie on, not even when they shared a bed. He always had it on, sleeves pulled down to his hands. How had he never noticed?_

_“Jack,” he started, taking a few steps toward his lover, “What happened to your arms?”_

_Jack looked around desperately, looking for an out. Looking for a way to escape this situation. Seeing none, he wilted like a flower in fall._

_Clutching his staff tightly to his chest, Jack looked anywhere but at his family._

_“I happened. I did this to myself.”_

\--

Jack crossed his arms protectively over his chest and stared into the fire. It flickered in the fireplace, popping every few seconds when the heat forced air out of the wood. He wished that he could enjoy the warmth that it gave off, but the heat always made him feel sleepy and sick. He took a set away from the flames and toward the door, remembering the hot, gritty feeling of the sand against his cheeks. Thinking that he was going to bolt, Tooth fluttered closer to him again and smiled reassuringly. Like the mother she was, Tooth chose to turn the attention to something else, knowing that this topic was sensitive for Jack.

“Sit down, Sweet Tooth. We don’t have to talk about it, we’ll talk about something else. How was the meeting with Mother Nature this morning?” Gently, she led the small winter boy toward the plush couch and sat down next to him, tucking her feet under herself. The others looked at her in bewilderment and slowly followed her lead, taking their previous seats and looking at Jack with intense gazes. The fun bringer fidgeted under their watch and tried to concentrate solely on Tooth, who had a kind smile and warm eyes.

“Ahm, it went alright?” He wished his voice was steadier, more believable. He wished the meeting had gone alright. However, like the scars on his arms, he couldn’t hide the hideous bruises the blossomed across his torso and face.  Tooth tsked at him and gently touched the bruise across his left cheekbone.

“Sweet Tooth, you know that you can tell us anything. What happened?” When Jack didn’t answer, she slowly ran her hand through his hair and frowned. “Why were you so close to the equator, Jack?”

Jack knew that he had a few options. He could lie and say that he thought he could make it to the southern hemisphere is he flew fast and he had been wrong. Which would show that he was stupid. He could tell the truth and admit that he had gotten his butt whooped by other court members. Which would show that he was weak. Or… He could lie and say that he had been there on purpose, that he had been trying to melt himself and disappear. He knew that wouldn’t work though, he had no explanation for the bruises. Glancing up at the faces around the room, he took in the concern and worry etched into each of them and let out a small sigh. He had told them about Jeremy and the others before, he could do it again. He needed to learn to trust them, they were his family.

“The actual meeting with Mother went well. She’s trying to see if I have control over more than just snow, if I have any amount of control over water. So, she had me putting dew on the grass in the Southern United States. It was going well, I can just barely get the water below freezing so that it isn’t frost.” He smiled despite himself. Tooth returned the smile and squeezed his hand gently in encouragement. Jack relaxed a little bit and sat against the back of the couch.

“I was almost done, just finishing off a yard in northern Texas, when they showed up.” The snow bringer’s hands squeezed unconsciously in fear. When Tooth pulled her hand away sharply from the sudden squeeze, he muttered an apology and folded his hands together, balling them into one large fist.

The Guardians already knew who their youngest was talking about, he had told them that he had some trouble with other court members before. Anger boiled in their blood. No one said a word, allowing Jack to continue his story.

“They just said things for a while, teasing and bullying me. The usual. I tried so hard to concentrate on my job, wanting to get it right for Mother. They jack asses realized I wasn’t going to crack so easily so they stared to be a little more… physical.”

Bunny snarled without meaning too, seeing red at the thought of his Snowflake being hurt by some lowlifes. Jack offered a small smile in his lover’s direction before he continued his story.

“Then, well, I…” a frost blush spread over Jack’s, “I retaliated.”

Surprised crossed everyone’s face, and Sandy even created a question mark over his head. It was unlike Jack to react in a violent or angry way, he typically went for laughing it off or joking around. He was the master of forced laughs and fake smiles. Never would they have imagined that Jack would ever fight back in such a way.

“What did you do, Jack?” North asked slowly, his voice level and curious. Jack scratched the back of his head and looked up at the beams across the ceiling.

“I just told them what I thought of them. That they were lap dogs and I had an actual position in the court.” Jack gave a vicious grin despite himself, before he looked down at his hands. “It made them very, very angry.” The smirk wavered for a moment before falling, his eyes shadowed by the memories. “They attacked me and took my staff. They held me and hit me with it. After Pitch, though, I thought of plans as what to do if my staff was taken, depending on how it was taken. I waited just long enough for them to think I’d given up before I took my staff and ran.”

Sandy nodded slowly next to him, realizing that this was what had happened before Jack had run into him. The small sand weaver wished he knew what had been going on. Wished he could have helped.

“I ran into Sandy while I flew. I knew they were chasing me and…” Jack paused, looking up at the beams of the ceiling, his face open and thoughtful. “And honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t ask for help. In the moment, I convinced myself that help would make it worse because they’d think I couldn’t fight for myself. Now I think it was because of something else.”

“What else, Sweet Tooth?”

Jack hummed in the back of his throat. “I think I was embarrassed. I think in that moment, I’d rather die than have to ask for help.”

Each of the Guardians sat back in shock, their faces twisted in surprise, confusion, guilt, and pain. The emotions flickered across their faces like Christmas lights twinkled on a tree.

“Jack, why would you be embarrassed to ask for help?” North asked slowly.

Jack shrugged and looked out the window at the fat, heavy snowflakes falling. “I was alone for 300 years, guys. I can take care of myself. I didn’t get help all those years, why would I ask for it now?” His voice was light and casual, but they could all sense the edge underneath it, the accusation.

“It’s different now, Jack!” Tooth cried, wanting to prove to her snow child that things would never be like that again.

The Guardian of Fun snorted at that and gave Tooth a pointed look. Normally, he would smile and nod, whether he believed it or not, because he knew that it made Tooth happy. Now, though, he was tired. He was tired, sore, angry, and frustrated. They knew his biggest secret in the world, knew that he’d gotten his ass kicked, and they still insisted on asking obvious questions.

“Yes it’s so much different now, because I’m a Guardian. I’m one of you now, so only now do I get the perks of your protections and help.” He barked out a laugh that made them all flinch. Jack didn’t get visibly angry often, usually it was hidden behind pointed jokes and laughs. All the Guardians had forgotten how sharp Jack got when he was angry. And how honest.

“Jack, please, we’re sorry we weren’t there for you,” Tooth started, tears sparkling in her eyes and her hands reached toward him. This just made Jack angry. How dare they think that a simple apology make up for years of abandonment. How dare they think that they could just apologize and all those feelings would go away.

“It isn’t that you weren’t there, Toothiana,” his voice harsh and cold, like the storms he created, “You _chose_ not to be there.” His gaze swept around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone. “None of you chose to be there. So don’t try to turn this situation on me and make it _my_ fault for not asking for help when for so long, you didn’t even offer it.”

Jack stood from the couch, his whole body shaking and quivering with hundreds of years of memories and anger. Memories of loneliness, of screaming and crying and begging for someone to see him, of nights spent wondering why he was here. His eyes glistened with tears of frustration and anger.

“You want to know why I hurt myself, why these happened,” he tugged his sleeves up to reveal the overlapping scars on his arms, “Because I had _no one._ I was completely alone except for the court and a short visit to Sandy every few years. So before you judge me for the decisions I made regarding asking for help, think about _your_ decision to ignore me for three hundred years.”

With that, Jack turned and stalked out of the room. His entire body was rigid and tense, his shoulders still shook. He closed the door with a soft _click_ and left the Guardians to sit in stunned silence as they watched their snow child walk from the room.

North was the first to move. He stood almost immediately and began to pace. The large man could hardly stand still when he was in a good mood. Now, though, he paced and cursed and tugged gently at his beard and mustache. Tooth stood from the couch and fluttered to him, her small hands soothing over his large ones as she muttered reassurances. Sandy just stared out the window sadly, his sand completely still and his eyes blank. Aster stared at the door, stared after his lover.

How could he have been so stupid? How could _any_ of them think that an apology would be enough? They had all thought that things were getting better, Jack was fitting into their little family perfectly and they couldn’t be happier to have him there. They had believed that the past was the past, that everyone was looking forward to the future now. How selfish of them. Now naïve of them.

“How could we do this to him?” Aster murmured. Each of the Guardians looked at him, their faces pinched in guilt and confusion. Aster continued.

“After all that boy has gone through, how could we question him like that? Not even thinking of the three hundred years of isolation, he was attacked by members of his own court who attempted to kill him. He was scars lining his wrists from years of being alone. And what do we do? We poke and prod about why he didn’t ask for our help and give excuses when he gives us a completely valid reason.”

The pooka shook his head and sighed.

“How could we have failed a child for so long and not even notice it?”

Tooth gave a loud sob that racked her body and shook every feather on her. She put her face in her hands and cried. North held her gently, murmuring in Russian to try to calm her down. Sandy put a hand on her thigh and patted gently. Aster remained where he stood, still staring at the door. Distantly, he remembered the silent promise he’d made to Jack the day he’d caught him secretly painting eggs for Easter. His ears fell back against his head. He’d broken that promise.

\--

Jack leaned against the front door of the burrow and sighed heavily. Sliding down into a sitting position, the boy wiped at the itchy tear tracks that lined his cheeks. It took exactly thirty seconds after fleeing the Pole for Jack to regret everything he had said. Why had he done that? Why had he yelled at them? They had done so much for him. Tooth found magic to make the Tooth Palace cool enough for him to visit. North had a room set up in the Workshop for him in case he ever wanted to spend the night. Sandy sent him dream sand every night, filling his brain with snowball fights and family and smiles. Bunny… Bunny loved him and opened up the Warren for him and spent every day with him. And what had the winter spirit done? Yelled at them, blamed them, and pushed them away. He’d ruined everything.

_‘You’re Jack Frost! You make a mess everywhere you go. Why, you’re doing it right now.”_

Pitch’s words echoed, loud and accusing, in the back of his head. They’d been right there, worried about him, trying to help him, and all he had done was yell at them and shove them away. He’d craved a family for so long and the minute he had it, he had ruined the entire thing. Fresh tears gathered in Jack’s eyes and a pathetic whimper fell from his lips. He buried his head in his hands and gave a loud hiccup of a sob. How could he do this?


	13. Running and Believing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack has disappeared, but Bunny isn't going to let him be gone for long. It's about time that the Guardian of Hope finally showed Jack exactly what he meant to him, to all of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tada! This is the last chapter of this little mini-arch. I hope that everyone enjoyed it!

_‘You’re Jack Frost! You make a mess everywhere you go. Why, you’re doing it right now.”_

_Pitch’s words echoed, loud and accusing, in the back of his head. They’d been right there, worried about him, trying to help him, and all he had done was yell at them and shove them away. He’d craved a family for so long and the minute he had it, he had ruined the entire thing. Fresh tears gathered in Jack’s eyes and a pathetic whimper fell from his lips. He buried his head in his hands and gave a loud hiccup of a sob. How could he do this?_

\--

The Guardians had all agreed that Jack needed space, so none of them had immediately run after him. They stayed in the meeting room, spread out in silence. Occasionally, one of them would quietly tell a story about Jack. They’d all grin a small grin and add their own comment before lapsing back into quietness. It was three hours later that Bunny finally rose. He ran a hand over his tired face and offer a small smile.

“I should be headin’ back ta the Warren.”

North nodded and stood. He put a beefy hand on Aster’s shoulder and sighed.

“Everything will be alright, old friend. I can feel it,” he glanced dramatically down at his stomach, “In my belly.”

Bunny snorted and smiled. “I hope so, mate. I hope so.”

Two taps of the floor later, and Bunny was gone, a small snowdrop in his wake.

He took his time getting back to the Warren. He didn’t expect Jack to be there anyway, so why hurry home? The thought made Bunny’s heart clench and he ground his teeth at the sensation.

It took him ten minutes to get down the tunnel and into the Warren. It was quiet, night on the horizon. Bunny could smell Jack in the air, but couldn’t tell whether the spirit was here or not. With a sigh, Bunny headed toward the burrow.

When he walked in, it was empty. Shaking his head, Aster headed toward the bedroom, wanting nothing more than the fall into the nest and fall asleep. Knowing Jack wasn’t going to be there with him hurt, but he couldn’t do anything about it right now. Opening the door, he refused to look at the empty nest. He busied himself with lighting a lantern and removing his boomerangs and armor. With a deep breath to steady himself, he turned to the bed and was surprised at what he found. No, Jack wasn’t in the bed, asleep and waiting for him. What was waiting for him was a piece of paper. It was small, ripped from a larger sheet. Walking toward it, a large paw lifted it gently and took in the two simple words.

_“I’m sorry.”_

Bunny’s heart dropped at the words and he didn’t even notice when the slip of paper floated gently to the ground.

\--

Jack lounged in his favorite tree branch. His powers reacted to his turbulent emotions, yearning to create a snowfall. He sighed and held the desire in, knowing that he’d just cause more trouble for himself if he created a snowfall in the end of May.

It was a cloudy night, the light of the moon muted by the layer of clouds hanging around him. Even Manny didn’t want to see him tonight. Not that the lunar spirit ever wanted to anyway. Jack turned his eyes from the moon and looked at the liquid surface of his lake. In the winter, he liked to lay on the ice and stare up at the stars, trying to name all the constellations that he could remember. Tonight, he stayed curled on his tree branch, staring at the still water, and wondering what Bunny was doing.

Had he gotten home and found the note? Was he worried? Was he looking for him?

Or…

Was he relieved? Was he glad that he could sleep in his nest and keep warm instead of getting cold from the touch of Jack’s cool skin all night? Was he happy for the time alone?

Jack shook his head to dislodge the thoughts and put in face against his arms on top of his knees. He knew that worrying would get him nowhere at this point; he’d dug his grave and he’d have to deal with it. It was so hard not to wonder, though.

With a sigh, the snow bringer flipped his legs over the side of the branch and jumped down. Wind caught him gently, lowering him to the ground. She ruffled through his hair affectionately, trying to get her snow child to understand that everything would be alright. He smiled at her attempts and nodded.

Walking slowly, his staff thrown over his shoulder, Jack approached the edge of the lake. Frost crept out from under him, taking hold of the liquid and freezing it instantly. He took a few steps onto the surface, watching as his ice spread across the surface to support his weight. That had always been his favorite part of his powers. Even on the least supportive material, it held him steadily and made sure he didn’t fall.

Slowly, he made it to the middle of the lake and sat on the ice, only the very edge of the water were still liquid, the rest of it sparkling ice.

He’d only been sitting for half an hour when a noise caught his attention. Jumping to his feet, he held his staff protectively in front of him. The first name to his mind was Pitch, but several other names followed on the list of people who may be here to see him at this hour.

The name that didn’t show up on that list was Bunny.

The large pooka stepped out from behind a tree, a branch breaking under his feet as he hopped to the edge of the water. Jack cursed in his mind; he knew he should have chosen a better place to hide than this. To be honest, he didn’t think that anyone was coming to find him. Why hide when no one is looking for you?

“Aster,” Jack breathed, straightening from his crouch and putting one of his hands in his pocket. The boy’s eyes were carefully guarded and blank, hiding the storm of emotions dancing in his heart.

“Jack,” Bunny returned quietly. The snow spirit could see that he was holding something in his hand and stared at it curiously. Bunny held up the small slip of paper and shook it gently. “What the fuck is this, mate?”

Jack stared at him in confusion, wondering why he was angry.

“It’s an apology.” Bunny could hear the unspoken ‘ _obviously’_ in his tone.

“For what?”

Jack’s eyebrows scrunched together on his forehead, completely confused and thrown off kilter at this point.

“For yelling and leaving, and being a total selfish asshole?” Jack didn’t know why it was formed as a question, but he was so confused that he didn’t know how else to phrase it.

Aster shook his head angrily at that and threw the slip to the ground. “You aren’t the one who should be apologizing!”

Jack laughed breathlessly at that. “Seriously? Of course I should be! You guys were just trying to understand why I did what I did and I pushed you away and said horrible things to you. Of course I have to apologize for that!”

“No ya don’t, Jackie! We should be apologizing to you! You were right; everything you said was right. We were terrible to ya, Snowflake. You had every right to be angry and yell at us!”

Jack raised a brow at that and let out another surprised noise. “Aster, it’s okay. I’m sorr—“

“Stop saying you’re sorry, Jack!” Aster looked down at his feet and took one step onto the ice. When it easily held his weight with no cracking, he took more confident steps toward his love.

Jack watched in astonishment. Bunny never willingly spend any amount of time in the cold, let alone stepping onto ice when he had the option to stand on the solid Earth. Too surprised to move, all Jack could do was watch his lover approach him.

When he was standing directly in front of Jack, he looked down at the boy with impossible green eyes that promised warm winds and flowers, and put his hands on Jack’s thin shoulders.

“Everything you said was right, Jackie,” he started quietly, “We chose not to find you, we chose to ignore you. We had assumptions and ideas and opinions with no basis for any of them. You were right.”

Jack’s heart tightened at the words and he attempted to step away. Away from Aster and away from the truth.

“Listen to me, Jack, I’m not done. You were right, we did believe and do all those things. _Did._ Past tense, mate. Tooth was telling the truth, snowdrop. It is different now. And not because you’re a Guardian and not because you helped defeat Pitch. As Guardians, all four of us had done that before. It’s because we got to know you. It’s because we started to care about you. It’s because we started to love you. Before you, we were hardly a family. We saw each other twice a year and hardly spoke outside of those meetings. Now, I’ve seen the lot of them more in the past few months than I had in a hundred years.”

Carefully, Aster cupped Jack’s cheeks and relished in the cool frost the touched the pads of his paws. He looked into Jack’s bright blue eyes. Eyes there were filled with soft hope and surprise.

“It’s different now because we are different now, Jack. It’s because of you that we’re different, that we’re a _family_ now. So please, don’t just up and run away, mate. We need you just as much as we know that you need us.”

Jack wanted to argue. He wanted to yell and spit that he didn’t need them at all. He’d been alone his entire immortal life, why the hell would he need them now? Them who had abandoned him, insulted him, and hated him?

But how could he say any of that when he didn’t truly believe it? How could he say that when Bunny was looking at him with such desperate, scared eyes that it brought tears to Jack’s eyes? How could he say that when Aster was pleading with him not to leave?

How could he say any of that when Aster was saying that they needed him too.

So Jack didn’t argue. He didn’t spit and yell and push the rabbit away.

He surged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around the pooka’s waist and held on with all his might. Tears fell from his eyes and soaked into Aster’s fur. The rabbit didn’t flinch away from the cold sensation though. He held Jack just as tightly, clinging to him and relishing in the feeling of Jack being there.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to leave, I didn’t mean to say any of that. I’m sorry,” Jack babbled against warm fur as he cried. Aster rubbed his chin against Jack’s head and pressed gently kisses to soft hair and a cool forehead.

“Shush now Jackie, everything is alright.”

Jack nodded against his chest before pulling away and wiping his eyes. Looking at his lover, he offered a tentative smile. Aster smiled a relieved smile back at him, happy to see that his little snowflake was feeling a little bit better.

“C’mon, Jackie, let’s get back ta the Warren. It’s been a long day.”

Jack nodded thankfully, not even trying to hide the yawn that burst from his mouth. All the fighting and crying, not to mention healing from his attack. Yes, it had definitely been a long day.

Bunny carried Jack through the tunnels, wanting to get to the burrow quickly. Jack was more than happy to be carried on Bunny’s back. It gave him the chance to press himself close and enjoy the feeling of Aster being there.

They walked hand in hand through the Warren when they arrived, enjoying the chirp of the crickets in the night air. Walking into the burrow felt better for both of them this time, calmer at each other’s side. They quickly went to the bedroom and Jack, after depositing his staff against the closest wall, fell into the nest with a huff. Bunny watched him with an amused smile, until he saw where the sleeves of Jack’s sweatshirt rode up and he got a glimpse of the scars beneath. Walking to the edge of the nest, Bunny reached out with gently paws to grasp the bottom of the old blue sweatshirt. A pale hand shot down to stop him. Their eyes met for a moment, Jack’s filled with fear and Bunny’s filled with reassurance. Just as Aster thought better of this and pulled away, the snow spirit swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded slowly. His hand disappeared from against Aster’s as the Guardian of Hope pulled the sweatshirt up Jack’s midsection and over his head. Underneath, Jack wore a simple white T-shirt.

Setting the sweatshirt aside, Bunny crawled into the nest and gently pulled Jack to him. He held a slender arm and looked at the scars that were sprinkled on it. They were a variety of colors, some a dark lavender color, some stark and white against even the pale skin, some were a brighter pink. Tracing them gently, Bunny noticed when Jack flinched and shook gently. Glancing up at the boy’s face, Bunny was surprised at the expression on Jack’s face. It was a look of pure relief.

“Jack,” Aster whispered, still staring at the boy’s face. Jack just shook his head and offered a small smile.

Returning his attention to Jack’s arm, Aster continued to trace ever scar, memorizing where they were. He wondered when they had all happened, what the reason was behind each of the lines. He pushed the thoughts away as he traced the scars on Jack's opposite arm. He then folded the boy to his chest and chinned his head gently. Jack held onto him tightly, still a little shaken up.

“I was so scared for you guys to find out.”

“Why, Snowflake?”

Jack shook his head, hiding in the fur on Bunny’s chest. “I didn’t want you to think I was broken or something.”

Bunny snorted out a little laugh and shook his head. “Of course not, love. We’re just confused and worried about you.”

Aster pulled back to look in Jack’s eyes, wanting to get this message across clearly.

“No one is leaving you, Jack. Never again. You’ll never be alone again.”

Jack’s eyes searched his face, looking for any deceit or lie. All he found was sincerity, a look of fierce protection, and love. Slowly, the boy nodded and offered a smile.

“Yeah, okay.”

\--

The next day, they all met at the Pole. Each of the Guardians hugged Jack tightly, smiling and apologizing. Jack hugged back just as tightly, enjoying the feeling of a family. The first family that he really knew. The entire time, Bunny’s words echoed in his head.

_‘No one is leaving. You’ll never be alone again.’_

And now, sitting in the meeting room, pressed against Bunny and laughing at a story North was telling, Jack started to believe those words.


	14. Introductions and Observations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cute, fluffy little chapter after the sad, angstyness of the last couple of chapters. Introducing an OC of my own design. Enjoy!

_Early-June_

The meeting had started ten minutes ago. It was a relatively tame meeting, mostly Tooth talking about how much more likely children were to lose teeth in the summer.

“It’s because they do such reckless, dangerous things!” she exclaimed, horrified that they would sacrifice their beautiful teeth for such a silly reason. Everyone had hid their smiles and chuckles, not wanting an angry Tooth lecturing them about the importance of teeth falling out naturally so that they would grow back in straight.

There was something missing from this meeting, though, or rather, someone.

Since it was the middle of the summer, Jack wasn’t there. He spent most of the summer months with the Winter Court, sleeping and keeping cold during the hottest point of the year. By staying in the Winter Court instead of the Warren, he didn't have to sleep as much and he could do some work for Mother. All the Guardians could feel his absence. It was a gaping hole in the room; a hole that they had never noticed until Jack had joined their little rag tag family. They could also feel the anxiety behind Jack staying in the court for any amount of time. The image of him melting and fading and _dying_ wasn’t an easy one to erase and it was common knowledge that other members of the court had done that to him. They all feared the torment that Jack could be going through while he was there. For the first time in a long time, Bunny couldn’t wait for winter. It meant he return of his snow child.

The meeting was winding to an end when there was a heavy knock at the meeting room door. Surprised by this, and expecting the worse since he had expressly told everyone that he wasn’t to be interrupted during meetings, North called whoever it was to come in. A female yeti poked her head in and garbled something unintelligible at the large man.

North’s sky blue eyes widened in surprised and a broad smile split his face.

“Da! Let them in Helga!” He waved excitedly.

The yeti nodded and opened the door wider. Standing next to her with a bright smile, was Jack. He was wearing a simple short sleeve shirt instead of his hoody, trying to keep as cold as possible. Even in the Pole, it was uncomfortable, after being so accustomed to the freezing cold of the Winter Court. He’d been too excited not to come, though, so he’d bear it for the time being.

However, it wasn’t Jack that the Guardians were staring at in surprise. It was the small girl at his side, her hair a soft gray and her eyes a dark blue. She was dressed in a simple green summer dress and a small brown cardigan. Her long hair was loose around her shoulders. She, unlike Jack, wore small brown shoes on her feet. She was clutching Jack’s hand tightly, half hiding behind his leg, and staring at the Guardian’s shyly.

“S-Sweet Tooth, who is this?” The Guardian of Memories ask, her face breaking into an excited smile as she fluttered closer to the pair. Smiling down at the small child at his side, Jack introduced her.

“Guys, this is Cici, she’s the newest member of the Winter Court, a brand new spirit. She’s hanging out with me this winter and getting used to the court.”

Gently, the snow bringer removed his hand from her small one and laid a gentle hand against her back. “Cici, can you introduce yourself to my friends.”

She peered up at Jack with large, trusting eyes and after a moment, nodded a small nod. Jack beamed at her and pushed her carefully forward.

She cleared her throat quietly before starting. “I’m Cici and I like white dogs.” Her voice was very matter-of-fact and serious, her eyes pinched in concentration. When she finished, she retreated to Jack’s side and held onto his pant leg. Jack grinned at her and ruffled her hair.

“Good job,” he muttered before rising to meet the stares of his family. They were still confused, but the joy of seeing a child was overriding that confusion as they stared at her. Bunny was the first to look at him with a raised brow and a questioning grin.

“Well, I used to have a younger sister and I offered to keep an eye on her while I was in the court for the summer. She took to me like a bee to honey, barely left my side since I met her.” He smiled down at Cici’s head and laughed. “Not that I mind the company.”

The Guardian’s relaxed at the explanation, also happy that Jack had some company in the court. They all knew of the trouble he had with other court members, so it was good to hear that the boy wouldn’t be completely alone while he was there.

“Do you want to sit down, Cici? North’s elves can bring cookies and you can tell the other’s all about the fun things we do together.” Jack stretched out the word “all” for dramatic effect, hoping to entice the little girl to open up and relax.

Cici looked around the room uncertainly, biting her lip softly and thinking for a moment.

“Yeah, we can do that.”

Jack smiled and carefully led her over to couch. Sitting down, he pulled the little girl easily into his arms and allowed her to settle herself in his lap. It took a few moments of wiggling and shifting before she finally got comfortable and sat against the Guardian of Fun.

The others settled into their own seats, excited to hear about the fun that Jack had spread into the court.

“Why don’t you tell them what your favorite thing to do is?” Jack prompted. Cici’s eyes brightened at the question and she turned her excited eyes to the Guardians.

“Egg painting! Jack has so many colors and brushes and he freezes the eggs so that they never go bad. We have hundreds of them!” She spread her arms wide to emphasize just how many eggs they had painted, her bright smile revealing a slightly crooked bottom tooth that Toothiana just silently gushed over.

Bunny turned surprised eyes to Jack, not knowing that the boy had taken art supplies with him, let alone that he was spending his time painting eggs. Jack smiled at him with a small wink. Bunny grinned back, offering a wink of his own, to which Jack quietly laughed at. Cici turned her dark blue eyes up to the Guardian of Fun.

“What’s _your_ favorite thing to do?” she asked seriously, her eyebrows pinched. The other guardians looked up to their youngest in interest, wondering what the boy enjoyed doing while he stayed in the courts.

Jack rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and put a finger to his chin, thinking about what he did while he stayed at the court.

“Well, I like playing with you, of course.” Cici giggled at that. “Other than that, I don’t do much there. I read a little bit, but that’s about it.”

Cici frowned deeply at that, crossing her arms over her chest unhappily. “Why don’t you get to do fun things? When you have to leave, the other spirits have fun with me. Why don’t they have fun with you?”

An awkward silence fell over the room, all eyes settling on Jack. The looks were full of concern, wondering how the boy would explain the concept of hate and jealousy to such a young girl. Jack swallowed past the small ball in his throat and offered a weak smile.

“It’s okay, Cici. The other spirits and I aren’t friends like me and you are. So we don’t like playing with each other as much. I see them at the meetings though, in the evenings, and we talk to each other there.”

Cici thought about this, her angry expression turning sad. “Don’t you get lonely?”

Bunny had to bite the inside of his cheek to hold back the distressed whine that rose in his throat. He wasn’t sure any of them would ever get over how they had treated Jack for so many years and having it brought up stung. The guardians waited, expecting the same small smile and a dodgy excuse.

They received a wide smile and bright eyes from their youngest.

“Sometimes, yeah I get lonely. Not so much anymore though. I have friends that I can spend time with and I have you,” Jack tickled her sides gently, enjoying the sound of her laughter, “So, no, I don’t get too lonely.”

The young spirit smiled and wrapped her arms around Jack’s middle and squeezed tight. “I’m glad.”

Jack hugged her back and laughed.

An hour later, both Jack and Cici were feeling sleepy. Not only was the whole Pole warmer, but North kept the Workshop especially warm. It made the pair of winter spirits feel groggy and sick.

“Alright, time for winter spirits to leave. Too hot, make you both sick,” North announced, brushing the cookie crumbles out of his beard. Both spirits mumbled in agreement. North let out a booming laugh at the sight of the sleepy spirits. Pulling out a snow globe, he handed it to Jack. The boy grinned in appreciation, his eyelids drooped.

“Thanks, North.”

The large Russian man smiled and pulled the smaller spirit in for a hug. “Is no problem, Jack. Come visit whenever you need. When is it safe for you to leave the court for the year?”

Jack counted the days in his head. “A month and a half. I’ll be at the first meeting of September, depending on the weather.”

North smiled and nodded, happy to hear that the boy wouldn’t be gone for too long.

Tooth was next to hug him, whispering to him that they missed him and couldn’t wait for him to come back. Jack hugged back tightly, assuring her that he would be back soon.

Sandy offered a small golden fist. Jack smiled happily and bumped his first eagerly against the sand weaver’s. The two had realized that hugs weren’t a good idea for them, too much ice touching too much sand. It froze Sandy and made Jack instantly sleepy. The two had agreed on a simple fist bump, Sandy suggesting it after seeing two brother’s do it one night. Jack liked it.

Bunny was last, standing back with his arms crossed over his chest and a gentle smile on his face. Jack walked toward him slowly, his own smile bright. Bunny snorted and rolled his eyes before reaching out to pull the boy to his chest and hug him tightly. Aster immediately chinned the snow spirit’s head. He breathed in the smell of crisp mornings and fresh snow and sighed into the white locks.

Jack hugged back equally tightly, enjoying the feeling of soft fur against his cheek as he took in the smell of fresh grass and paint. It smelled like home.

Leaning back, Aster pressed his nose to Jack’s forehead and sighed. “I wish ya didn’t have ta stay there.”

Jack just nodded.

Another sigh and Bunny stepped away from the hug. He offered a smile and kissed the boy chastely, aware of the others in the room.

“I’ll see you at the beginning of September?”

“You know it.”

“Good, the Warren is lonely without ya,” the Guardian of Hope whispered, smiling tenderly. Jack laughed softly and shook his head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back to spread some fun in no time.”

Bunny nodded with a smile, looking forward to the return of his snow child.

Cici watched all of this from the couch, watching her best friend’s interactions with the Guardians. Jack talked about them often, referring to them as his family. She decided that she approved of the group to take care of her friend. She might be young, but she was far from stupid. She had observed how the others in the court treated Jack and heard the way that they talked about him. She had worried that Jack had no one, until he told her about the Guardians. She was excited to meet them, when Jack had purposed it yesterday. The young spirit could tell that he was also excited to see them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jack. “Alright Cici, ready to return to the court? Mother will have my head if I’m late to the meeting tonight.”

Cici nodded solemnly, casting one last look at the Guardians before turning to Jack and smiling. Jack returned the smile, and Cici could see the difference that seeing them had made. His smile was more natural, gentler and brighter.

“Ready to see something really cool?”

The girl nodded in excitement.

Lifting the snow globe, Jack whispered ‘Winter Courts’ into it before tossing it to the ground. A portal opened in the room, showing the bright white or the winter court on the other side. Jack offered his hand. Cici took it eagerly.

“Ready?”

The young girl nodded and turned one last time to look at the Guardians. She was surprised at their looks of longing. Looks of longing and sadness and, almost, loneliness. She could see how much they missed Jack written all over their faces. It erased and eased the last bit of the reservations she had about them. They loved Jack very much, it was obvious, and she knew that when he needed to leave the courts for the fall, winter, and spring, he would be well taken care of with them.

A moment later and they were gone, a pillar of the winter court’s entry way standing tall and proud where they had been. Cici blinked and looked up at Jack. The same look of sadness shone in his eyes, but it was dampened by the look of content happiness at having seen his family.

“Alright munchkin, you go off and have fun. I have a meeting to get to.”

Jack had just turned around when Cici grabbed his shirt and tugged. Looking back in surprised, he took in the image of her analyzing him. He had noticed, very soon after meeting her, that while Cici was incredibly quiet, she had amazing observation skills. She knew things about people that they didn’t know about themselves. She could look at you and know exactly what you were thinking in that moment, as well as your entire life story. It was incredibly unsettling to most, but for Jack, it was a relief. Without having to tell her, she knew what things triggered Jack and knew what subjects to avoid. And while she knew a lot, she never asked questions or assumed anything. She just took in all the information around her for herself and kept it there.

So, Jack let her look for whatever she was looking for in him patiently, a lazy smile curving his lips. After a moment, she let go of his shirt.

“They care very much about you.”

Jack’s smile widened and he nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

Cici shook her head, her eyes flashing with frustration for a moment. “No, it is the truth. There is no thinking about it. They love you very much.”

Jack blinked at her in surprise, wondering why she was arguing this so forcefully. Little did he know that Cici had seen the uncertainty in his eyes, the hesitation in his words, the way that he doubt himself and doubted that others could care for him. Desperately, she wanted to get the message across that people did care about him, did love him. Because she knew, without a doubt, that no one deserved to be loved and appreciated more than Jack Frost.

Jack smiled softly at her and knelt down to her level, the same way he did with Sandy. “You think s—“

“I know so,” she said firmly, her hands curled into fists around the light green dress she was wearing. Jack had asked her once why she wore earth tones so often, when she was a winter spirit. She said that the whites and blues made her sad, she didn’t know why, so she asked Mother for brighter clothes. Jack had smiled at the explanation and always made sure to compliment her on whatever outfit she was wearing.

Jack chuckled at the correction and nodded. “Alright, you know so? How?”

Cici’s expression changed from determination to surprise before settling into disbelief. “You can’t see it?”

Jack’s smile fell and his eyebrows scrunched together. “See what?”

“The way that they look at you! The way that they talk softer when they speak to you because you don’t like yelling. The way that they hesitate to hug you until you’re moving into the hug because then they know that you’re okay with it. The way that they looked when we left!” She huffed for a breath, her cheeks a rosy pink from the rant. “It’s all right in front of you!”

Jack blinked once, twice, three times in surprise at her words. She had seen all that in the hour that they had been there? Making a mental note to pay more attention when he returned to the Workshop, Jack put a hand on Cici’s small shoulder and smiled gently.

“Okay, okay, ice cube. Calm down, no need to work into a knot.”

Cici huffed, annoyed, before she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Calmed down, and only slightly embarrassed by the outburst, she looked at Jack with bright, burning eyes.

“You believe me, right?”

Jack nodded without any hesitation. Cici and he would sit in the courtyard sometimes and people watch, all the while Cici would make observations and Jack would confirm or deny them. She’s only been wrong a handful of times. Why would she be wrong about this?

“Yeah, munchkin, I believe you.”

Her stiff posture wilted and she slouched. Abruptly, Jack remembered how tired she must be from the heat of the Workshop.

“Go take a nap, Cici. I’ll come wake you up when the meeting is out. We can eat dinner and paint eggs?”

Just as Jack predicted, the young girl smiled in excitement and bobbed her head in agreement.

“Bye Jack, have fun at the meeting!” She called after turning and running toward the corridor that led to their rooms. Jack waved after her with a smile. Turning, he walked toward the meeting room and thought about what Cici had said. Silently, he swore to himself that he would pay for attention when he was around his family. If what Cici said was true, he didn’t want to miss a minute of it.


	15. Nightmares and Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack has a nightmare while he's in the Winter Court. Unknown to him, Sandy sees the nightmare and shows it to the Guardians to help them understand. What horrors will they see in Jack's dreams? And how will they react when the horrors they face are memories from Jack's past?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super angsty. I'm not sure where this idea came from but I just took it and ran. I hope that everyone likes it!

_Late August_

_He was running. He didn’t know why he was running and he didn’t know where he was running. Adrenaline and fear coursed through his veins, pushing him forward faster and faster. He didn’t know why he was running and he didn’t know where he was running, but he knew that he had to keep running. Something as behind him. It breathed hot, sticky breath down his throat and whispered in his ears._

“Yours is that you’ll never be believed in.”

“And worst of all, you’re afraid you’ll never know why. Why you? Why were you chosen to be like this?”

“They never trusted you, really.”

“You make a mess of everywhere you go.”

“We should have never trusted you.”

“He has to go.”

“So I’m going to ignore you, but you must be used to that.”

“People believe in me.”

“But none of them can see you.”

_He pressed his hands tight over his ears as he ran, trying desperately to block out the voices. They mocked him, different laughs mixing together and mocking him. With each spit sentence, the memories they came from filled the air around, forcing him to relive the moments like watching a movie._

_His chest hurt and his breath came in gasps as he tried to get air into his screaming lungs. He could feel the tears running down his face, some of them splashed against his feet as he ran and the little drops fell from his face. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to stop the crying._

_“Stop, please, stop,” he gasped, begging. He didn’t know how much he more of this he could take. “Just leave me alone!”_

“You want to be alone, done!”

_Abruptly the floor opened up under Jack and he was falling. His eyes flew open in. He could see the sky, overcast and grey. Along the sides of his vision, he say the icy walls of the canyon he’d been thrown down in Antarctica. Pitch was above him, laughing. Jack braced to hit the hard ground, but when he finally stopped falling, it came with a splash._

_Gasping, icy water filled Jack’s mouth and lungs. He attempted to cough, but with each intake of breath, more water invaded his body. The sky was no long grey, it was black. The moon stared down at him cold from his perch in the sky, watching as the boy sank deeper and deeper into the water. No light shown upon him now, no magic ran through his veins. Gasping, coughing, crying, and drowning, Jack fell deeper and deeper into the water. Where no one could hear him as he screamed. Pitch’s voice echoed in the water around him._

“You want the answers so badly. You wanted to grab them, and fly off with them. But you were afraid of what the Guardians would think. You’re afraid of disappointing them.”

 “They’ll never accept you, not really.”

_Memories of Bunny reminding him that no one believed in him. Memories of Jamie not seeing him. Memories of Bunny’s raised fist. Memories of North and Tooth turning from him. Memories of his first friend dying before his eyes, Jack unable to save him. Memories of being walked through. Memories of being isolated. Memories of cry, begging, screaming. They all flashed in front of Jack’s eyes, each stinging a little bit more than the next. Jack curled in on himself against the memories, a last ditch effort not to feel the blows. He stopped screaming and let the water swallow him whole._

“NO!”

Jack sat up with a shout. His blankets pooled around his waist. His arm was stretched out, reaching for someone who wasn’t there. Wheezing and near hyperventilating, Jack took huge breaths of air and allowed his lungs to stretch to capacity. After a few minutes of breathing, he started to calm down. His whole body still shook with tremors and he could feel his lip quivering. Jack bit down on the soft tissue in an attempt to make it stop shaking.

It was early in the morning, few people among the court would be awake this early. Jack neither wanted to get up or go back to sleep. With a sigh, he decided just to lay back down for a few hours before going to wake up Cici. He only had another week in the court before he returned to his Guardian duties and the young girl was very upset. She insisted on spending every moment of his remaining time together. He had assured her that he would come to visit often and that they would still see each other, but the snow bringer could easily tell that it was little comfort for the girl. So, he’d agreed to play with her for the rest of the week, hoping to raise her spirits a little bit.

With one last keep breath, he pulled the covers back up his midsection and closed his eyes.

\--

Three of the four Guardians sat in the meeting room, each with a large smile on their face. This was the last meeting they would have without Jack. All of them were excited to see their youngest again, to feel the joy he took everywhere with him. It made them almost giddy with excitement.

A soft knock at the door interrupted their personal thoughts. Turning, they grinned when Sandy floated into the room. Immediately, they could tell that something was wrong.

His eyes were wide and almost unseeing, as if he was stuck in a memory he couldn’t get out of. The sand cloud he usually sat on was absent. His shoulders were slouched in defeat and his tiny hands trembled.

“Sandy?” North rose from his seat and walked toward his friend. Waving a large hand in his face, North grimaced when Sandy didn’t react. “Sandy!”

The loud booming voice broke Sandy from his thoughts. The small man turned haunted eyes toward his friends and shook his head slowly. His sand sluggishly rose above his head and did signs. It was always bad when even his sand moved slowly.

Watching the signs, the Guardians watched as a sentence was created.

“Jack. Bed. Unicorn?” Bunny read out loud, his heart squeezing at the mention of his little love. He was confused. Why did a unicorn have to do with Jack?

Sandy shook his head, his small hands waving in front of him to illustrate that ‘unicorn’ was wrong.

He made a different combination of signs.

“Pitch. Horse? Oh, nightmare!” Tooth exclaimed when Sandy put an image of Pitch above the horse.

“So, Jack goes to bed, has nightmare?” North asked. Sandy nodded. The Guardians were about to ask why this was causing the dream weaver to react in such a way. He witnessed nightmares every day. They were all sure that Sandy had seen their own nightmares through the years. The little man had never said anything about what he had seen.

Sandy interrupted their musings with another sign.

“Bad. Skull? Not skull? Uhm, bad, death? Okay, death. Bad, death, drowning.”

The guardians froze, staring at the string of images above their friend’s head. Trying to put the entire sentence together, Bunny spoke.

“Jack had a nightmare about something bad, about a death, about drowning?”

Everyone in the room could tell that the conversation was putting Aster on edge. His voice was sharp and his teeth ground together. His vibrant eyes narrowed. What had Jack been dreaming about?

“This takes too long. Sandy, friend, you show us dream?”

Sandy bit his lip and looked uncertain. There was a certain amount of unspoken trust between him and those he gave dreams too. He didn’t want to break that trust by showing others private dreams. It was no different than Tooth broadcasting children’s memories to all of them. In the end, it was only Tooth’s business what memories children had and only Sandy’s business what dreams children had.

Aster took a step forward. “Sandy, please, help us understand so that we can help him.”

Sandy stared into Aster’s eyes and after a pause, nodded slowly. The little dream weaver motioned for them all to sit on the couch. Once seated, he waved his hand through his sand and slowly brushed it over all of their eyes.

The next thing they knew was darkness.

_ “Remember that Jack will not hear you here. This dream has already been had. You are simply viewing it.”  _

“Sandy, is that you old friend?” North asked, amazed at the light, airy voice that echoed around them. It sounded similar to a child’s, with no depths or timbre.

_ “It is only within dreams that my voice is heard.” _

North nodded at the explanation and turned to watch the scene unfold in front of them. For several moments, it was nothing but pure darkness. It made all of the guardians uncomfortable. It was disorienting and isolating, even when they could feel themselves standing next to each other.

Soon, they heard the sound of feet. They heard the sound of whispering voices. They heard the sounds of gasped breaths. Bunny could hear the soft sound of tears splashing against the ground.

Abruptly, Jack was there. He was running, his arms and legs pumping vigorously as he sprinted through the darkness. The close that he got, the clearer the voices became.

_“Yours is that you’ll never be believed in.”_

The sound of Pitch’s voice made all the Guardians stiffen for a moment. North went to grab the hilt of his sword. The voices continued.

_“And worst of all, you’re afraid you’ll never know why. Why you? Why were you chosen to be like this?”_

Ah, so that’s what Pitch meant. They were talking about fears. When had this happened, though? Slowly, the darkness was lit up. A scene unfolded in front of them. Jack was running through Pitch’s lair, his staff held protectively. Pitch was murmuring to him from the shadows before materializing in front of the boy. His tooth box was clutched tightly in the Nightmare King’s hand.

The memory dissolved quickly. The voices got louder.

_“They never trusted you, really.”_

Pitch’s voice had them all tense. None of them could recall Pitch ever saying this to Jack. Tooth turned to ask North when the memory began to play. Jack about to throw his teeth over the edge of a ravine. Pitch appearing. Pitch confirming all of Jack’s fears, all the fears that the Guardians had made true.

They didn’t have time to process the scene before it was gone and the whispering returned.

_“You make a mess everywhere you go.”_

They were in Pitch’s lair again. Pitch still had the tooth box. The king threw the box at Jack and disappeared in the shadows. Jack caught it easily, holding it in confusion. He pushed the confusion aside and chased after the dark man.

The Guardians were confused. This is what had happened on Easter. After the fact, none of them had brought up the events of that day. It was too fresh, the pain and wounds of the day barely held together. As time passed, it seemed less appropriate to bring the subject up. It was never the right time.

A new voice filled the air.

_“We should never have trusted you!”_

Bunny’s eyes widened at the sound of his voice filling the darkness. Had he really said it so harshly? He wanted to close his eyes. He wanted to hide from the memory that was about to be broadcast.

He couldn’t though. Much like a witnessing a bad accident, he was unable to look away when the bright green park filled the darkness and there he was. His fist was raised to hit the boy. Jack had only taken a surprised step back, he hadn’t even tried to defend himself from the attack. Had the snow bringer felt that he deserved to be hit? A whine rose in the back of Bunny’s throat and he had to bite his cheek to keep it there.

North and Tooth watched in horror as they turned on the boy. They had offered no understanding or support, hadn’t paused for even a moment to get Jack’s side of the story. They all watched helplessly as the boy flew off and the memory faded.

This memory was different. Instead of fading, it seemed to move backwards.

_“He has to go.”_

Each of the Guardians flinched at the soft words. Words filled with a sick sense of finality. North and Tooth hadn’t argued. They had all accepted the fact that they were sending their snow child away. Each of them could feel Jack’s pain ripple through them at those words.

The memory completely faded this time.

_“I’m going to ignore you, but you must be used to that.”_

Pitch’s voice returned. This memory they all recognized. The day in the Tooth Palace. How had they missed the tragic look that passed over his face? The way his eyes widened and his mouth opened as if to offer a retort. He had never replied to those words.

The memory faded quickly.

_“People believe in me.”_

This memory confused the Guardians for a moment. They knew that Bunny was the one speaking, but when had this been said.

The Workshop materialized in front of them. The four of them standing on one side of the room, Jack standing on his own on the other. None of them had realized at the time how, even when the five of them were together, they had isolated him in such a small way. Ganged up on him and cornered him.

Bunny was standing the closest to him, back ridged and fists clenched. These words were different. He had been trying to hurt the young spirit in this memory. He was angry at Jack for ruining Easter, he was angry at Manny for choosing this spirit out of all the others, he was angry that North was even considering letting Jack join the Guardians. So he’d said something cruel in hopes of making sure that Jack didn’t _want_ to join.

_“But none of them can see you.”_

Aster had said that? Had plainly thrown Jack’s lack of believers in his face. Aster had reminded the snow spirit of a fact that Jack would never be able to forget. He wanted to hurt Jack and keep him out of the Guardians so much that he had said those words to Jack’s face.

Guilt and nausea rolled in Aster’s stomach and for a moment, he was sure that he was going to puke. North and Tooth were no better off, having to watch themselves let Bunny say those things to Jack. Yes, Tooth had made a small effort, but had ultimately done nothing to actually stop the spirit of Hope. North hadn’t intervened until Sandy had prompted him.

The scene disappeared and none replaced it. They watched as Jack ran, his hands pressed over his ears and his eyes closed as he cried.

For the first time, they heard his voice in the dream. They heard him beg for them to stop. HE had begged for the voices to leave him alone.

The darkness was gone and they were watching Jack fall down a ravine. Pitch stood above him laughing.

_“You want to be alone, done!”_

They watched as Jack accepted his fate. He had accepted that he was going to fall down this crack in the Earth and be left alone. After three hundred years of awful isolation, the poor boy was wishing to be alone. The Guardians were mortified, all of them closing their eyes and blocking out the image of Jack hitting the hard ground.

A splash surprised them. When they opened their eyes, they were underwater. While they didn’t feel cold, they could tell that the water was icy and unforgiving. Jack was sinking before their eyes. He was thrashing and crying, trying to scream and cough as water filled his lungs. They could see Manny watch from the sky.

The voices returned.

_“You want the answers so badly. You wanted to grab them, and fly off with them. But you were afraid of what the Guardians would think. You’re afraid of disappointing them.”_

_“They’ll never accept you, not really.”_

The memory that accompanied these words did not surface. None of the Guardians could place this memory with any certainty, but they had a feeling it went inside Pitch’s lair among the dark corridors and piles of tooth boxes.

No, the memories that blossomed in the water around them different. They went by quickly, only in the air long enough to see for a moment. The big four recognized some of the first memories. Bunny telling him no one believed in him. Bunny about to hit him. North and Tooth abandoning him in the park when he needed them most. Sandy dying in front of them. Jamie not seeing Jack with them. Some memories they didn’t recognize. The group watched in horror and pain as Jack was walked through countless times. They watched as he yelled and screamed at the moon, as he cried and begged.

Finally, the memories faded and they were left with the image of Jack curling into a small ball in the water. He stopped screaming and stopped fighting. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink. Manny watched in the sky, cold and unforgiving. Jack didn’t rise from the ice this time.

They felt out of the dream and were once again sitting on the couch. They gasped for breath, shocked by what they had seen. Sandy sat in front of them, his eyes dark and tired. A small light bulb appeared above his head.

 _‘You understand?’_ He asked.

None of the guardians could answer him. They were still in that dark place, falling down the ravine, drowning in ice cold water.

Tooth hadn’t even realized she was crying until the tears slid through some of the feathers on her knees when they dripped from her face. She covered her mouth with a dainty hand in an effort to hold in a sob. Or maybe it was a scream. It rose in her throat and clogged there, making it hard to breath. Anger and helplessness rose in her chest and in that moment, she wanted to hit something. She wanted to punch and scream and hit until her fists and arms and body hurt as bad as Jack’s did.

North’s mouth was open but he didn’t know what to say. He felt like cursing, but he also felt like apologizing. An apology filled his mouth along with a string of curses, making it impossible to form a sentence or make anything come out. He wondered if this is how Jack felt when he talked to them, wanting to say so many things in as short a time as possible, just to be heard.

Bunny’s ears were pressed tight against his head. He didn’t want to keep hearing Jack’s voice plead and beg. He didn’t want to hear Jack cry and scream. He wanted blessed silence. The exact opposite of everything Jack had always wanted and exactly what Jack had come to accept as a constant. The boy had always hated silence and that was exactly what the Guardians had given him for three hundred years. Silence and isolation.

Sandy was tired in a way he had never felt. He’d seen the horrors of nightmares his entire existence. He knew what twisted, horrible images the brain could conger up. Never had a nightmare left him feeling so shaking. Never had a nightmare left him feeling so guilty. This wasn’t just a nightmare that the mind of made up on a whim. These were memories. Events that had actually taken place in Jack’s life. For so long, Jack’s life had been a nightmare.

In that time, they had done nothing to help him.

\--

A week later, the Guardians were still shaken. They had hardly slept, the images of Jack’s nightmare haunting them. Not even Sandy’s dream sand could completely chase away Jack’s pleas.

So consumed by the memories, they had forgotten that it was the first week of September.

When a frosty chill filled the room, North moved automatically to close the open window in the corner. A window that was almost always open in case Jack wanted to come and visit.

North stumbled in surprise when he noticed the boy sitting in the window sill. He was smiling a carefree smile and his eyes shone with happiness.

“Wow, I’m glad I came back when I did. You guys look awful!” Jumping from the window sill, he floated easily through the air and into the room. Their eyes followed him closely, guilt easily seen on their face. Jack’s smile wavered and his eyes darted quickly around the room. Something was wrong, he could feel it. Unease churned in his stomach and he stopped floating. Settling on the ground, he held his staff tightly and looked around the room. “What’s going on, guys. Is everything okay?”

Bunny was the first to move, rising from his chair and hopping toward the boy. Aster watched as Jack stood still, not flinching or backing away. He saw the complete trust and love in the boy’s eyes, so different from the look of fear and confusion from that Easter. The look did nothing to ease the feeling of remorse in the guardian’s chest.

Without hesitation, he drew the boy to his body and held him tightly. Jack returned the embrace, hugging Aster tightly and running his fingers through soft fur. Something had upset the Guardians and the boy wanted to do everything in his power to ease this feeling of discomfort.

“Hey Cottontail, it’s good to see you too,” he whispered against Bunny’s chest. The furry arms around him tightened. Aster nuzzled and chinned Jack’s head.

When Aster released him, Toothiana immediately wrapped thin arms around his waist. She cried into his shoulder and babbled words that made no sense to him. He held her tightly and stroked the feathers on her back, hoping to help her calm down some.

North hugged him too, lifting the small boy off the ground. He kept saying he was sorry over and over again, and Jack would just reply that everything was okay.

Sandy didn’t hug him. He stared at Jack sadly. Jack knelt down to his level and stared at him. Curling his small hand into a fist, he rubbed it in a clockwise circle on his chest. The two of them had been learning American Sign Language together for a while now, thinking it would be easier to communicate than the sand.

 _‘I’m sorry,’_ he signed. Jack smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way before he made an ‘o’ and a ‘k’ with his right hand.

“Whatever it is, it’s okay,” he whispered as he straightened up. He stared at each of the guardians for a moment.

“Now will someone please tell me what is going on?”

Bunny cleared his throat and offered a small smile, trying to reassure the boy.

“We just missed ya. It was real quiet ‘roud here without ya.”

Jack knew that it was only a half truth, that they were leaving something out. He felt distrust and unease settle in his stomach. He pushed those feelings away and just smiled at them. It was nice to hear that he had been missed.

“I missed you too! The court is so boring. You’d think that for a winter court, they’d appreciate snowball fights. Well, I’ll be the first to tell you, they don’t. _At all._ ”

The guardians laughed at that, broken out of their stupor. Jack smiled, relieved. He may not know what was bothering his family, but he was glad that he could still make them laugh. Settling on the couch, he took a cookie from an elf and grinned.

“So, what happened around here while I was gone?”

After a moment of just staring at their winter child, at the carefree smile and the bright eyes as he nibbled on a cookie and sat on the couch, the guardians took their own seats. Bunny abandoned his chair in favor of sitting next to the boy, pulling him easily to his side and throwing an arm over Jack’s shoulder. Jack accepted the company easily, settling comfortably into Bunny’s side and leaning his head on a furry shoulder.

Once each of them was settled in their seats with a cup of cider and a cookie, the story telling starte. .

North explained how the elves had thought to ‘redecorate’ and used his best toy paint to try to brighten up the workshop. By brighten up, they had gotten it all over themselves, several yetis, and an entire group of toys. The toys couldn’t be salvaged and some of the yetis were still dyed blue and red. Jack had laughed at the antics, saying that he was definitely rubbing off on them.

Tooth explained how a new fairy had brought home the tooth of a family pet instead of a human tooth. She explained that the dog had lost one of its baby teeth and the boy in the house had put it under his pillow. Tooth had kept the tooth, unable to throw any tooth away. However, each of the little fairies had gotten a very long lecture on what a human baby tooth looked like. The lecture included pictures and a quiz at the end.

Bunny explained what he referred to as “The Egg Incident”. One of the large sentries that stood guard over the warren had somehow found his way into one of the dye-rivers. Dye had flooded two flower patches and soaked into the grass. The egg sentry was still sparkling with paint and the flowers and grass now grew in tinted with the bright colors of the dye. Dye still oozed out of the soil if you stepped on it.

Jack had laughed at all the stories. He’d offered sarcastic remarks along the way. He’d expressed that he wished he could have been there to see it all. He’d even said that he was mad at the elves for pulling that prank without him, admitting to planting the idea in their heads. North had only scolded him lightly and down it with a soft smile.

When they were done, Jack talked about what he had done in the courts. He talked about playing with Cici and going to meetings. The meetings were to discuss the upcoming year and what the snowfall would be this year.

“I’m glad to be back. I much prefer it with you guys than with them. They’re so uptight and proper, the complete opposite of me. I fit in much better here.”

The Guardians stared at their youngest. The bright, happy, misunderstood boy who they had misjudged for so long. The caring, compassionate, gentle boy that they had ignored for so long. The lonely, insecure, sad boy that they had left alone for so long.

 _‘Never again,’_ they all silently swore as they looked at their precious fifth member.

The meeting ended soon after that when Jack’s eyelids stared to droop. He was still drained from the summer and couldn’t hold in the yawn.

“C’mon, Snowflake, let’s get back to the Warren.”

Jack nodded and smiled a sleepy smile. “I’m so glad to be back.”

He promised to come and visit North soon, to eat cookies and play with ice trains. He swore that he could go and see Tooth at the Palace to play with the girls and talk over tea. He assured Sandy that they would meet up at the Workshop soon so that they could get back to working on their signing. Each guardian nodded and offered once last hug before the pair disappeared down the rabbit hole.

Once in the Warren, Jack took to the air happily and dance among the Wind. She was also happy to be back in the Warren. She rushed and whispered and rustled through the leaves and canyons and trees. Jack laughed with her and floated along for another moment.

Returning to Aster’s side, he smiled brightly. Aster burned this image of him, happy and breathless and smiling, into his brain. This is how he wanted to see his love, not the dark image he had witness in dreams.

They walked hand in paw to the burrow. Despite it still being early in the night, they agreed that it had been a big day and it was better to head to bed early. As had become custom, Jack pulled his sweatshirt over his head and folded it carefully next to his staff outside the nest. He flopped into the blankets, pillows, and hay with a groan of happiness.

“I missed this so much! Beds are uncomfortable,” he griped as he rolled onto his back and smiled up at Aster. The pooka laughed and shook his head before moving his armor and boomerangs. He crawled into the nest and immediately pulled Jack to him. He curled around the smaller boy and snuffled against his temple gently, taking in the scent of the boy he’d missed so much. Jack giggled at the sensation and held onto the arm wrapped around his waist.  In silence, they drank in the feeling of being together again.

Jack was nearly asleep when Aster began to whisper against the back of his neck.

“We’ll never leave you alone again, Jackie. We’re here forever.”

Jack didn’t reply, just held on tighter and let sleep wash over him without any fight. He knew that he wasn’t going to have nightmares tonight.

 


	16. New Years and New Wishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Years, a time to gather with loved ones and celebrate a year passed. A lonely holiday indeed for a spirit that no one talks to. A few looks at Jack's previous New Years and what his first New Years with the Guardians is like.

_A few moments in Jack’s life_

New Years was a weird time for Jack. For many years after his rise from the lake, it was a day that was acknowledged but not celebrated. People in the town outside his forest would drink that night, reflect on the harvest of the year, but still turn in early and rise before dawn the next day to return to work. It was another day, another year written into the history books. He wasn’t quite sure what day that was, he hadn’t relearned the months of the year yet. He just knew that it was especially cold, snow falling in thick blankets onto the earth. His new powers danced inside him, causing him to freeze nearly everything he touched or pointed his staff at, even if those things were already frozen. He was happy during this time of year, he felt at home and at peace. He hadn’t yet felt the true pain of being alone. That came later.

As the years passed and each New Years was seen alone by Jack. Society started to celebrate as paper calendars were created and could be found in each home. The time of the year was told in months rather than by harvesting and hunting seasons. Jack watched this shift and he hated it. He fiercely hated this shift because with it came another change. With types of work and jobs changing and time being told in a different way, the way that New Years was celebrated changed as well. People started to throw parties and gather together. They talked about their year together, the fun things they did as families and friends. Jack watched from frosted windows as they laughed, smiled, hugged, and kissed each other. For him, it was another New Years spent alone.

By his three hundredth year, he didn’t watch parties. He didn’t watch people gather together to drink and reminisce. He didn’t watch midnight kisses or fireworks lighting the sky. He spent it in the arctic, watching fat snowflakes fall from the sky. He’d heard once that at midnight on New Years, you make a wish for the year to come. With white snowflakes clinging to his eye lashes, Jack stared at the moon.

His first New Years with the Guardians was after almost a year of being a team. They’d grown a lot in that year. There were still struggles and challenges. Pranks were pulled and insults thrown. They were like any family, they fought and made up again. It was nice. It was nice to be a part of something, to feel loved and cherished. He’d been so caught up in all the changes that year had taken, and still reeling from the first Christmas he spent with the group, that New Years had almost snuck up on him. It wasn’t until North had pulled him aside after a meeting. He explains the big party that is thrown every year, lots of spirits and other beings come to celebrate, is lots of fun. Jack remembers the sharp feeling of dread at the idea of being in front of all those people, all those people that hated him and ignored him and hurt him. No, he couldn’t do that. Thinking on his feet, he told North that he had volunteered to do errands for Mother that night and he couldn’t come to the party. North had attempted to prod and ask why Jack couldn’t come for a few hours. A few excuses and dodged questions later, Jack was flying through the air in the gentle embrace of Wind. He was hurt that even with the Guardians, he was spending another midnight making wishes alone.

_Late December_

It was four days after Christmas when Jack started dropping snow in earnest again. This little town was usually a place that he would drop snow near constantly, but after being with the Guardians, he knew he needed to be more responsible than that. Kids wanted their families’ home during the holidays, and snowy conditions and icy roads didn’t add up to families being home. So, he concentrated all his snow fall in Antarctica for a few days, where no one could be hurt.

Normally, the first snow post-Christmas would fill Jack with a small sense of dread. While he loved being able to spread fun and snow to people around the world, it was always a reminder of the holiday to come. New Years. The one holiday that since his birth from the lake, he had always spent alone. Even after being with the Guardians last year, he had made an excuse not to see them. He was coming up on his third year anniversary of being a Guardian, with this being his third New Years as a part of the team. Jack knew exactly what this New Years would be like, the same as the last and the three hundred before that one. Alone. North would throw a party that he wouldn’t want to attend. Especially after the events of this year, he knew he didn’t want to have any part in the party he knew was going to happen. He knew, though, that he wouldn’t be able to get out of it this year. North wouldn’t let him, plain and simple.

Sighing, he stood from his position on the ground. He was watching children play in the snow, every now and then throwing a snowball of his own to keep the fun alive. Stretching, the boy called Wind to his side. Slowly, she picked up her winter child and slowly carried him toward the Pole. There was a meeting tonight that he needed to get to.

He settled gently on the window sill of the main room. The window was already propped open for him. Jumping to the floor below, he turned and closed the window behind him. He knew that Tooth would get cold if he left it open.

Slowly, he made his way out of the globe room and toward the meeting room down the hall. He assumed that he was last to show up, he hadn’t rushed to get here after all. As he got closer, he could hear North’s booming voice. From the excitement in his tone, he was telling the others about another successful Christmas. Even with the holiday only passing four days earlier, beyond all logic in the world, the Workshop was absolutely spotless. As if the disaster he had witnessed five days earlier had never happened. He grinned at the memory of an elf covered in paint running into _every single thing_ their little body could touch. Including a large stack of presents and North’s pant leg. The young spirit wondered if the large man had tracked any into the houses he’d stopped at. He chuckled at the thought.

Finally pushing the door open with the butt of his staff, Jack took in the animated scene that greeted him. North was standing on a chair with one of his beefy legs bent up onto the deck next to him. He paused in his earnest speech when Jack entered the room. A broad smile spread across his face.

“Ah! Jack! Here in time for best part!”

Jack grinned at the man and only paid half attention to his excited ramblings as he crossed the room to plop down onto the couch. Sandy sat at the other end of it and sent him a sleepy smile, his eyes half closed. Jack returned the sentiment and settled deeper into the couch.

Ten minutes of North yelling at them later, and the tall Guardian fell into the chair he had been standing on, smiling proudly and pink in the face.

“Is very good story, yes?”

They all nodded with a smile, not wanting to admit that they hadn’t been paying a lot of attention. North was a rather excitable person and it was no secret that he would tell a story to anyone that sat still for longer than a minute. They had heard tales from him far wilder than this had been and they knew by the end of the day, North would remember another detail from this wonderfully successful Christmas, and be talking their ears off all over again. Silence filled the room, comfortable and warm, before North’s voice once again filled the air.

“Oh! Jack. I am glad you are here. Must talk about New Years.”

The warmth of the room dropped for a brief moment as Jack clutches his staff tightly before controlling himself and reining in his powers. He hoped that no one had noticed the split second shift in air temperature. Based on the look he could _feel_ Bunny giving him, he knew that he wasn’t that lucky. He avoided his lover’s eyes in an attempt to seem innocent as he threw on a grin for North.

“Sorry big man, Mother got to me first. I’m dropping snow in South Russia that night.”

The lie rolled so easily off his tongue that he nearly felt guilty. If he was honest with himself, he hated lying to them. But the images of a room filled with other spirits— Jeremy and the twins, of the ground hog and the spring sprites—stopped Jack from feeling too bad. He knew that he was inadvertently protecting them by staying away.

North narrowed his eyes minutely at Jack, knowing he was lying, before a smile crept across his mouth.

“Ah, but I have already spoken with Mother. She assured you could attend. Says she cannot so you can go in her place to represent her place in the Court. Old Man Winter also there.”

Jack’s heart was thundering in his ears so hard that he hardly hear anything beyond “attend”. It felt as if he was underwater, a feeling that made his center shudder and his skin crawl. Ignoring what North was saying, he stands and Wind wraps around him protectively, sensing the surge of emotion in her charge. Bunny stood as well, his body braced against the Wind the pushed him. She had never liked the Guardians, and even now showed her distaste for them often. The pooka ground his teeth at her stubbornness and took a step forward.

“Snowflake.”

Jack stilled for a moment at the name before he clenched his eyes shut and shook harder.

Bunny frowned and tried again.

“ _Jack.”_

The Wind died down slowly before she merely blew gently through Jack’s permanently tousled hair, and with a shaky sigh, the tension left Jack’s body. Wind whistled out the window, knowing that her child was in control again. Eyes still closed, Jack slowly sat back on the couch. No one uttered a word as he let out another, calmed deep breath and set his staff across his knees. He laid his hands over it, not holding it, and slowly opened his eyes.

He and Aster had been working on some meditation breathing techniques to use when he overloaded and his powers responded. Bunny admitted that it had helped him stay sane after the destruction of his people. Jack felt honored that Bunny shared it with him and didn’t tease once that it was boring, even when he wanted to.

Aster slowly sat back into his chair and eyed the boy proudly. He could see the progress Jack had been making and he was excited to see the boy use what he’d taught him in a real situation. It had been rocky, but the winter spirit had done it.

Now to figure out what had set off the boy in the first place.

Always the direct, blunt person, Aster spoke first.

“Want to tell us what that was about, Snowflake?”

Jack’s flashed cold for a moment and Aster thought he’d pushed too hard. But Jack bit his lip and blinked before sighing.

“I don’t like parties.”

None of them had ever seen North look so shocked.

“Don’t like parties?” he gasped, his eyes wider than Jack had ever seen them. The young Guardian flinched at the look and glanced to the ceiling.

“Well, no, I don’t. I mean, I love the Christmas party we have, with just the five of us. But big parties, with the other spirits—“ he paused to swallow thickly—“Not so much.”

The Guardians slouched in their chairs, connecting what Jack was saying with what he meant.

It was no secret that Jack didn’t get along with many of the other spirits. It made sense that the thought of being in the same room as them would cause Jack to panic. They counted themselves lucky that he hadn’t run.

“Jack, nothing will hurt you at party. I swear it. Just fun night and food and drink. Music and fireworks—“

Jack perked up at the thought of fireworks and peeked up at North with hopeful eyes. North smiled gently.

“Big ones. In any color you want.”

Jack bit his lip as he thought about it, rolling around the risk with the reward. He knew that the other spirits would never try anything in front of the Guardians, in North’s home so less. He feared the retaliation after the party, when the spirits came to the lake or tracked him when he dropped snow. But North’s eyes were shining so brightly and he looked so happy. Jack couldn’t— _wouldn’t—_ destroy that happiness. So, with a weak smile, he nodded mutely and relished the hug he got in return. Maybe the party wouldn’t be so bad.

\--

It took Bunny an hour and a half to get Jack to take the two minute journey to North’s home. The entire time was spent with quiet reassurances and weak excuses and finally a compromise. If Jack went to the party, Aster would let him slush up one of the clean flowing streams and Jack would get to lounge in it while Aster read to him. The pooka didn’t understand why, but Jack loved to be read to. At first the Guardian of Hope feared that the boy couldn’t read, but was reassured that Jack just liked to hear the sound of someone else’s voice telling him a story instead of Jack talking to himself. The edge of sadness in his voice at the time had resolved Aster to read to him whenever he asked. This time would be no exception.

The came out of the tunnel just inside a quiet room that North had built. It was a bare room of warm dirt that was enclosed inside the Workshop. It gave Bunny a place to emerge from his tunnels without being out in the snow. Aster remembered the first time he had come into the room and how confused he’d been when North threw open the door with a proud smile.

Slowly, the two of them made their way down winding halls and up a flight of stairs. Soon, they were standing outside Santa’s grand dining room. Of the three in the Workshop, this was by far the largest, only used for this party most years. Jack would feel the music in the floorboard and hear the chatter of people through the crack in the door. His hands clenched into fists and he could feel his breath quickening. Oh god, he couldn’t do this, he couldn’t go in there, they were there, _they were all there—_

A warm hand on his shoulder calmed the loud voice in his head. Turning frantic eyes behind him, Bunny gave him a steady, almost stern look. The spring spirit wasn’t going to let him out of this, no matter what he did. He might as well go with some dignity if he was going to go. Gradually, he steadied his breathing and squared his shoulders. Aster gave him an approving nod before pushing the door open. Jack braced for the eyes, all the eyes in the room, boring into him and consuming him whole.

The music played softly, people were talking and dancing. No one was looking at them. No one had seen them come in, or cared enough to notice. Jack gasped out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Bunny held his hand tightly and pressed his nose briefly to Jack’s temple.

“Settle down, nothing is going to happen.”

Jack nodded mutely, allowing himself to be lead further into the room. Soon, North had joined them, a large glass of eggnog in his hand. It was obviously that the drink contained alcohol based on the rosy blush in North’s cheeks and the slight slur to his words. It made it even harder to understand him through the accent. Jack found himself smiling despite his anxiety and slowly he relaxed into the party. He snacked on cheese and crackers as Tooth fluttered over, also very drunk, and perched clumsily on North’s shoulder. He steadied her carefully and they smiled at one another. Sandy found them soon after, floating lazily along with a tranquil smile and a little wave.

Jack was just ready to admit to himself that he’d been wrong and the party had been a good idea when a hot chestnut him in in the back of the head. The others were chatting happily and didn’t notice when the winter spirit hissed quietly and rub the back of his head. Turning around, he glanced to see who had thrown it, only to find Jeremy smirking at him from a little ways away. The twins were on either side of him, scowling. A few water sprites sat near him, also glaring and muttering angrily. A spring spirit sneered at him. The Ground Hog simmered a few tables away, near the large bowl of eggnog.

Everywhere he looked, someone was looking, staring, glaring. Fear tickled the back of Jack’s throat and his skin itched. He wanted to go back to the Warren and hide from these hateful looks. He was tired of fighting them, of staying strong and sneering back. He was ready to hide from them and never face those angry looks again. He felt himself start to inch away from the group, hoping to find an open window and flee to the Warren. Bunny would be angry with him for a few days, but it would fade and everything would be fine.

But he’d been too slow, or maybe Bunny had planned for this because just as Jack inched out of their company, a warm arm curled around his waist. In his panic, Jack hadn’t noticed Bunny excuse himself from the group. Judging by the small plate in his hand, he’d gone to get a snack when he saw Jack moving away. Jack cursed himself for not paying more attention, but nevertheless, curled into Bunny’s embrace as a shield. Aster nuzzled the crown of his head affectionately.

“Everything alright, Snowdrop?”

Jack relaxed at the sound of his pet name and nodded slowly.

“Yeah,” he breathed quietly, “Just a little bit overwhelmed.”

Bunny nodded and led Jack back to their place amongst the other Guardians. Jack tried to relax back into the swing of the party.  

Later that night, after the fireworks had brightened the sky and midnight had come and gone, Jack sat alone on a small bench and smiled sleepily. All in all, the party had gone well. North had kept to his word about all the fireworks being the colors he chose. While he definitely preferred the whites and blue, he wanted a fair amount of green and a few red as well. It had been a beautiful display when the clock struck midnight. Aster pressed his forehead to Jack’s, whispering about what a year it had been. Jack nodded, liking the feeling of fur sliding against his skin. They kissed briefly, but continued to whisper their wishes for the next year.

He’d only kept one wish a secret from Aster. A secret so precious that he would never dare utter it out loud, in fear of jinxing it.

His thoughts were interrupted by a throat clearing next to him. Thinking it might had been Aster, he opened his eyes to a surprising sight. Jeremy stood in front of him, alone, the twins nowhere to be seen.

“You think you’re hot shit now that you’re one of _them_ , don’t you?”

Jack blinked before a light frown set on his face and he sat up.

“Jeremy,” he greeted coolly. Winter’s apprentice scowled and took a threatening step forward. It took every nerve in Jack’s body not to move again. Running off the adrenaline from the party, he squared his shoulder. He wasn’t running away tonight.

“You better watch your mouth, Frost. You know what I can do to you.”

“What, rough me up a little and run to simper in Mother’s lap?” Jack snorted. “I’m shivering in my fucking boxers.”

Jeremy growled at the insult and raised a fist. Jack raised his staff in retaliation, ready to battle this out here and now if he had too. Ice crackled in the air and the hallway’s air temperature dropped drastically in response to the winter spirits. It was this drop in temperature that alerted the Guardians that something was wrong. They noticed a moment too late when they heard the crash of glass breaking and a loud pair of grunts from down the hall.

Rushing out of the ballroom, they were shocked at what they saw. Jeremy had Jack pinned to the ground and they got there just in time to watch the spirit’s fist connect solidly with Jack’s nose. Tooth gasped at the sound of his nose cracking and breaking from the impact. None of them had time to move before Jack was roughly kicking off the spirit and grabbing for his staff. He swung it in a wide arc, catching Jeremy in the gut. He added a good shock of his magic, causing bright ice to crackle painfully along Jeremy’s skin. The apprentice doubled over in pain with a grunt and curled onto his knees. Jack stood over him, blood running down over his mouth and chin. He wiped at his nose before speaking.

“Run back to the courts, Jeremy, you aren’t welcome here.”

Jeremy glared at him hard before standing and spitting at the winter spirit’s feet.

“This isn’t over, Frost, not by a long shot.” And with a gust of cold air, Jeremy was gone with a small patch of ice left in his wake. Jack hit the patch with his staff and it melted away, leaving no mark that Jeremy was ever there.

When he turned around, Aster was there with a napkin. He pressed it gently to Jack’s face, hushing him when the Guardian of Fun winced and moved to pull away. After a moment, Bunny was satisfied that it was nearly done bleeding and pulled away. He regarded Jack with questioning eyes.

“Sorry, that you guys had to see that,” he mumbled quietly, gently prodding at his swollen nose. Bunny slapped his hand away gently, muttering about not messing with it until he let a yeti look at it. Jack complied by shoving his hands in his hoodie pocket and rocking side to side.

To be honest, they were all a little surprised by Jack’s actions. They’d only ever seen combat with him when Pitch had been at large. They had never had a chance to see him brawl or fight without his staff. It surprised them how physically strong the boy was, being able to kick the other winter spirit off of him and hit him with the staff hard enough to incapacitate Jeremy.

“Nothing to apologize for, Jackie. Sorry that we weren’t here.” Aster squeezed his shoulder gently and Jack put his hand over the paw.

“I can’t ask you guys to fight all my battles for me. This one was mine.” He smiled a small smile. “All that matters is that you’re here now.” Tooth rushed to hug him, North, Sandy, and Aster joining in a moment later. Jack sucked in this feeling of warmth and family. This was the first time he’d had a New Years like this, where he wasn’t alone in the Arctic, wishing and hoping that someone would see him someday. Maybe this year. Every year it was, maybe this year. And this year, Jack could let that precious wish go. The wish he’d never dared utter out loud, even to the Man in the Moon himself. This year, Jack had accomplished that wish. He was surrounded by a family that loved him and friends that depended on him. So, quietly into their arms, he made his New Years wish.

_“This year, I won’t be alone. Someone will see me and talk to me and say my name. This year, for sure.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this took me so long to update! I've had this idea lying around for a long time and couldn't get myself to work on anything until this chapter was done. I hope that everyone likes it!


	17. Reading and Slush Pools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Aster lets Jack freeze one of the creeks so that he can lounge in it while Aster reads to him. Quiet thoughts on a warm Warren afternoon as Aster realizes how much Jack has given him.

_Late January_

Aster is positive. He’s positive that he can feel it. Whenever he’s near Jack, he feels it flutter through his veins. The bright rays of Jack’s Joy lingered in him, even now, a few years since Jack hit him with a snowflake to help them deal with Sophie’s presence in the Warren when it was such a crucial time for all of them.

After the entire Pitch situation had been resolved, when they were sitting in the warmth of North’s meeting room, spread out in various stages of sleep, Aster marveled at this feeling. The utterly intoxicating feeling of pure, unadulterated joy running through him and forcing him to smile sleepily.  The feeling was cut by a slice of guilt at having teased the boy for his powers. He hadn’t know this feeling in so long that he had almost forgotten how powerful it could be. It was no wonder that Manny had chosen Jack.

It’s not that he wasn’t happy with his life, with his mission on Earth. Bring life and hope this this planet and its young was a very rewarding honor. Aster would be lying, though, if he said he didn’t think of the “what ifs”.

What if his people hadn’t been wiped out by Pitch?

What if he hadn’t lost his mate, his family, his home?

After the pain, the loss, the isolation, Aster was sure that this feeling would be unattainable. Yes, he’d find peace and contentedness on Earth, but the pure Joy of living, he didn’t think so.

Jack had returned that feeling to him. Had brought his home to life around him. Had saved the last believer, by making Jamie believe in _him._ Him. E. Aster Bunnymund. Not North or Tooth or Sandy. Not even himself. But in Bunny.

And in doing so, he left a permanent, inseparable part of himself in Bunny’s very core.

Even now, lounging on his side in the soft grass of the Warren with a book balanced on a rock in front of him, he could feel the little pieces of Joy buzz in his veins and nestle alongside the warm, steady Hope that flowed through him.

His voice rang soft through the Warren as he read to the winter spirit. Jack was a few feet away from him, laying in a shallow slush pool of his own design, his staff lying on the edge of the creek above him. He was lying in the cool snow water in a plain t-shirt and a pair of reindeer boxers that North had given him for Christmas. His hoodie and pants were laying in the grass next to Bunny. In the shallow pool, his stomach was barely covered and his arms and legs were sprawled around him. His head was resting on a rock covered in a blanket of soft moss. His eyes were closed and a lop-sided grin curled his lips.

Bunny’s voice trailed off as he stared, captivated by the almost ethereal beauty of the boy. It never ceased to amazing Aster how differently he looked at the boy now. Another bit of guilt dampened the joy in him and he felt himself frown.

Jack immediately opened his eyes, peering at his lover quizzically. The Guardian of Hope could feel the boy looking right through him, seeing all of his secrets and the dark crevices where he hid his shames. It made Aster squirm a little bit every time Jack did this, which was surprisingly often. In all the time Jack had spent alone, he’d definitely learned how to read people. Read a situation, sense the air in the room for any amount danger or conflict. A protection technique that Bunny didn’t doubt had saved Jack’s life a few times. He’d watched Jack do it at the New Years party. That’s why if made Bunny nervous. Why was Jack reading him like this? Did he sense danger from Bunny? The thought depressed the guardian more and his ears drooped slightly towards his skull.

Jack sat up in the slush and a frown marred his peaceful features.

“What’s wrong?” Concern rang clear and true in his voice, his head tipped to the side and his eyes scanning Aster for any physical problem. Finding none, he stared, worried and a little helpless.

Bunny let out a low breath that trailed into a disbelieving chuckle. Of course Jack wasn’t doing it because he sensed danger. Of course Jack just cared about him and wanted to make sure he was okay.  Now that Bunny thought about it, it had been a long time since Jack had turned those scared, cold, calculating eyes on him. Now when the winter sprite studied him, it was a warmer look that conveyed a deep sense of worry. Jack always seemed to know when he was upset and would immediately strive to remedy it. A thought occurred to Aster. This might be a chance to confirm his theory.

“Hey, Snowflake, how is it that ya always know somethin’ is wrong?”

Jack blinked at him, obviously confused, and his frown turned into a annoyed look.

“I can feel it, duh.” Jack rolled his eyes and scoffed quietly. Aster’s brows rose at that and he grinned.

“Ya can feel it?”

Jack sighed dramatically and shuffled to lay on his stomach in the slush. His chin balanced in his hands.

“Of course I can feel it, Guardian of Fun and Joy, remember? Anytime you start to lose some of that Joy, I feel it in my center. The Joy of those around me resonates with me.” He stared as a butterfly lazily fluttered above his head, his expression thoughtful. “I can feel it stronger with you, though. I don’t feel it as well with Sandy and the others. I mean, it’s always there, but with you, it’s crystal clear.”

Jack smiled, a small and shy smile. “I love it, actually. I can feel your Joy when kids find your eggs, or when a chocolate comes out particularly good. When the flowers bloom in the spring.”

A bright smile spread over his face, his eyes lighting up.

“My favorite is when you tell me stories of your home. It gets so _warm_ and… _fluttery._ Just like the kids sometimes.” He smiled down at his hands, his smile calmed and tranquil now. “It’s beautiful.”

To say that Bunny was speechless was an understatement. He’d believed that Jack’s joy stayed with him, but he’d never dreamed that Jack could still _feel_ it. Even with Jack’s explanation, it still astounded the Guardian. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised, seeing as Aster could feel the hope and life of the Earth and its people thrum through him at all times. It was just… humbling to hear, he thought. To hear Jack’s gently voice talk about the warmth of joy from his memories of his home, his people. To know that Jack felt that feeling move through him, that he shared that feeling with Aster. It was more than he could properly put into words.

So he didn’t say anything. He marked his page in the book careful and stood up. Hopping the short distance to the creek, he took in the look of Jack’s face, curious and happy, staring up at him. Reaching down, he fished the boy out of the slush. He ignored the feeling of cool warm soaking his fur. Slowly, holding Jack, he hopped back to his place. Laying down on his back this time, he held Jack against his chest and hummed a deep sigh, almost a purr. Jack didn’t protest at all, instead wiggled a little bit until he was comfortable and relaxed with a happy, quiet little sigh of his own.

Aster was positive. More than positive. With the boy so close, he could feel the joy warm up in his veins, thrumming happily along with the Hope that he carried around always. He knew that Jack could feel it too because he tightened his hold gently and nuzzled against Aster’s fur.

“You know what I don’t hear?”

“Hm?”

“The sound of the book you’re supposed to be reading to me.”

Aster could practically _hear_ Jack smirking playfully, his eyes glinting with sass and mischief. Aster huffed out a laugh and rolled his eyes.

“Yes, of course. How could I forget?”

Jack chuckled and closed his eyes when Aster’s voice resumed reading his story.

What Jack hadn’t told him about is the hope that quietly, steadily, comfortingly hummed along inside him. Jack had seen the Hope that Aster felt, running through the Warren and laughing with Sophie. He’d fed off that Hope— the hope that everything was going to be okay— when he’d sat on Jamie’s sill, desperate to make the boy believe. It was that feeling, that bright, soft hope that inspired Jack to make eggs and rabbits to help Jamie believe.

A part of him was sure that Aster knew anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I honestly didn't expect to update so soon, but this idea couldn't wait, so I wrote it all in one go! A fluffy little follow up piece, I hope everyone enjoys it!


	18. Unarmed and Relief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jack's staff is stolen by autumn spirits, the Guardian of Fun is desperate to get it back. For the first time, he goes to the other Guardians for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry for being gone for so long. I went through a move and the subsequent job hunt, so things are only just now settling down so that I can write again. First of all, I'm sorry that the timeline is jumping forward so much. I have so many ideas and to fit themes/plots, I have to jump around a little bit.   
> I'd also like to address why I don't post smut. I'm terrible at writing smut, so it'll be a while (if ever) before I write smut for this story. Sorry for that, but I'm just not comfortable writing it right now.   
> Okay, that's all! Enjoy the updates!

_Late October_

Yetis warbled and yelled around him. Machines whirred and grunted. Elves jingled and yapped among their feet, causing loud crashes and harsh snarls. It was cacophonous and disjointed and distracting. Jack pushed his way through all of them, their angry remarks adding to the noise bouncing around his head. He could hear his own ragged breaths as he rushed desperately toward North’s office.

Thick blood ran down his lips, sending sparks of tangy iron along his tongue. His ankle complained loudly as he pushed against the ground. His arms were heavy at his sides, tired from fighting and bleeding in several spots.

Finally, he broke through the crowd and stopped in front of the toy maker’s main office. He could hear North talking on the other side of the heavy wood, his deep voice carrying through the grain. He hardly paused to catch his breath before the Guardian of Fun was pushing against the heavy door and stumbling into the room. The conversation halted around him.

“Jack!” Bunny’s voice was high and surprised. He was at Jack’s side in an instant, holding him up as the boy wavered on his feet. He’d know that his love would be here, that’s why he’d come to North’s instead of going to the Warren. Bunny had mentioned that he was visiting North today to talk about paint or something. Jack’s mind was working too fast, too hard to remember what Bunny was doing here because all he needed to know was that _Bunny was here._ Bunny could help and Bunny would know what to do.

“Jack, what is goin—“

“My staff!” he cried, his voice grated and strained. “They have my staff!”

\--

It took ten minutes of heavy breathing and sips of ice water before Jack could properly explain what had happened. North puttered around him, wrapping and bandaging injuries as he went. He had Jack hold a tissue to his bleeding nose.

“It was the autumn spirits,” he said, his voice slurred around the ice cube on his tongue and the tissue in front of his mouth. North raised his eyebrows, remembering the autumn spirits that had attended his parties. Good guests, polite, if not a little inappropriate when drunk. Why would they have Jack’s staff?

Jack could see the confusion in his bright eyes and sighed at the look. Setting his cup of half melted ice aside, he tried to settle into the couch to explain what had happened. It was hard to sit still though, without the weight of his staff in his lap. His skin felt itchy with power that had nowhere to go and it made his hands shake. The anxiety and injuries weren’t making it any better.

“I was changing the leaves,” he started, his voice tight. “I can feel it, it’s time to start the early stages of winter.”

“You change the leaves?” Bunny blurted out. Jack sent him a pointed look for interrupting.

“Yeah. Not the color, that’s for the autumn spirits. I take them from reds and oranges, turning them into brown and then help them drop to the ground. I’ve been doing it for the last eighty years or so. For a long time, Mother had me on strictly dropping snow and freezing lawns. Something happened and one year, at the winter meeting, she announced that I would take over all stages of winter. Prep, initiating, maintaining, and clean up. It was… it was a big deal because I’m a very young spirit and winter is usually manned by at least three spirits if not four. Mother had faith though and assured everyone that I would do fine.”

He smiled a small smile, remembering the pride sparkling in her eyes. There was a little mischief too and Jack knew that it was that look that made him like Mother so much. She liked to shake things up and throw curveballs, she appreciated the element of surprise almost as much as Jack did. He didn’t think about it often, but he was very glad to have met Mother. A dark little voice in his head reminded him that if he hadn’t, he’d probably be dead. He shook the voice away so that he could continue speaking.

“She was right, I did fine. It was all about time management, really, and being flexible. I had no other job and no permanent home that I returned to. I could be wherever I needed to be for as long as needed. She was happy with my progress and after twenty or so years, she stopped asking for updates. It was nice… to be trusted like that.” His voice trailed away as the itching spread from his hands up his arms, into his shoulders and throat and chest. His injuries, the panic from losing his staff, and the rage were spurring the magic on. Especially considering his body _knew_ it was time to start winter; some places should be getting snow right now. His fingers twitched with the needed to release this energy. He trembled in his seat.

“This isn’t important right now!” he exclaimed, jumping from his seat and pacing. Bunny watched him with careful eyes, scared that the kid was going to keel over again.

“I _need_ to get my staff. Now.”

“Alright, Jackie, calm down. Where did they take your staff?”

“Japan,” Jack answered automatically, tugging gently at the hair behind his ears. The itch was turning to a burn and it _hurt_. “I was changing the maple leaves in a small park and guiding Wind to drop them. They fell out a tree onto my shoulder,” he rolled his shoulders at the memory of the impact, “When I hit the ground, another popped out from behind the trunk and grabbed my staff before I could even tell which way was up.”

Aster shot a look to North, who nodded and withdrew a globe from a line of others on a nearby shelf. He handed it to the trembling winter spirit, who held it tightly in both hands so as not to drop it. A shake and a few words from Jack later, the three stood in a small, isolated park in Japan. Tall trees towered around them, blocking out the little sunlight that filtered through the clouds.

Jack was moving instantly, darting around and searching for his conduit. Ultimately, his staff was not the _only_ way that he could release power, but it was the only way to do it without hurting himself. Eventually, his magic would fill him to the bursting and he would lose control. The pure magic needed a conduct to move through so as not to hurt the wielder. The burning in his veins spurred him to look faster. North and Bunny trailed along with him, North keeping a sharp eye to the branches above and Bunny sniffing the air for any sign of the ancient crook.

“Oh look, it’s _Jack_ ,” a voice whispered from among the leaves. Jack stilled at the sound and glared into the tree tops.

“Where the fuck is my staff?” he spit, his voice strained. Bunny blinked at him, shocked by the language. It wasn’t often that Jack swore so openly. The Guardian of Hope could feel the Joy in his veins bristle at Jack’s anger as the boy’s own joy was damped by the rage running through him. It made Bunny’s hackles raise and his lip pulled back in a sneer.

“Oh look, Jack brought friends,” another, softer voice replied to the first. Giggling, like the sound of wind chimes in the air and the rustling of leaves, floated around them as two spirits appeared before Jack. They fell from the branches above with grace, landing soundlessly on the ground below. One of them, the smaller of the two, held Jack’s staff. Jack took a step forward at the sight of his first possession and couldn’t help the growl that fell from his lips. The pure magic was crackling in his fingertips, responding to his anger.

The autumn spirits were generally small, with dark skin and copper hair that shone in the late fall sun. Their eyes were a moss green and their teeth pointed. The taller of the two had long hair twisted into a loose braid. The smaller had their hair gathered into a small ponytail on the back of their head. The one holding his staff twirled it playfully, smirking at the winter spirit.

“Your staff is right here, you stupid boy.” Jack’s hands balled into fists and frost crept out from under is feet, capturing leaves as it went and freezing them solid. “Do you want it back, Frost? How bad? How bad do you want it back?”

Autumn spirits were known for playing games. Word games and riddles and puzzles that left you so confused that you didn’t know what you were asked in the first place. Normally, Jack would humor them and play along, enjoying it when he won and they left with a huff.

Jack didn’t have time for that now. If a vicious yell, he leapt at the spirit’s, knocking them both to the ground. The dizziness from the impact and the pain of jostling his injuries shook Jack’s control, sending sparks of magic and frost along the autumn spirits. They yelped and thrashed against him, but Jack kept them pinned until he felt the familiar feeling of his staff brush against his hand. Grabbing it with all the force he could, he yanked it from their grasp. They grabbed onto his clothes, warm hands sliding under the fabric, burning against his cool skin as they dug long claws into his flesh. He yelped at the sensation.

Before he could retaliate, large hands pulled him the smaller sprites. North held him off the ground and away from the spirits as they got to their feet and scowled at Jack. Slowly, the large man set the boy on his own two feet. Jack returned the scowl and in a childish lapse of composure, spit on the ground at their feet. They growled and took a step toward the pair, but Bunny stepped forward as well, causing the pair to step back and look at each other. Wordlessly, they glanced to the each other and nodded. With a flurry of leaves, they were gone.

“Fucking _assholes_ ,” Jack growled, clutching his staff tightly and feeling his magic pour into it. Frost crept along the wood and Jack could finally take a deep breath and let it out slowly without feeling like he was about to burst. His staff conducted his powers and held a certain amount of his magic inside.

And in place of that itching, burning sensation, exhaustion flooded his limps. His legs gave out before he had a chance to say anything. Bunny caught him easily and curled the smaller guardian to his chest.

“Feel better now, Jackie?”

Jack smiled sleepily, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“Much. Thanks for coming with me,” he murmured. He groaned at the pressure of going through the return portal that North created. It passed after a moment though and he relaxed back into Aster’s arms. He enjoyed the gentle sway of Bunny’s arms as the pooka carried him through the halls of the Workshop.

“Hm, where we goin’, Cottontail?” He figured they’d return to the Warren. Why weren’t they in a tunnel right now? He wanted to lay in their nest and sleep for a year. Bunny seemed to have other plans.

“Infirmary, mate. I can smell your skin burning,” his voice was low and dark, tightened by an anger that Jack hadn’t heard in a long time. Jack frowned at the sound but his pounding head kept him from opening his mouth to ask what was wrong. He let his eyes fall shut as he concentrated on not throwing up.

They got to the medical ward quickly, where Jack was gently deposited on a bed. After his sweatshirt was carefully removed, Bunny lifted his shirt up to his shoulders, taking in the overlapping scars along his stomach and protruding ribs with a growl. He pushed the feeling aside, though, and set to work on cleaning the wounds. He could ask Jackie about the rest later.

For fifteen minutes, he cleaned the wounds before smoothing an antiseptic salve over the punctures and burns. He wrapped bandaging around Jack gently, shushing him when the spirit grunted. By the end of it, Jack could barely keep his eyes open.

He stared, through half open eyes, at the rigid line of Aster’s spine. Bunny had hardly looked him in the eye since they’d gotten to the Workshop. Whispers of the pooka’s voice when they’d been walking, tight and angry and dark, flickered through his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he gently reached out to feel for the traces of the joy he’d left with Bunny. It was weak and hard to find, making Jack’s heart constrict in his throat.

“Bun- Aster, what’s wrong?” He could feel the panic setting in again, making his head throb. His breath was raspy as he tried to keep himself from hyperventilating. Aster turned to look at Jack with worried eyes, some of the shadows chased away, and stepped away from the table where he was washing his paws.

“Jack, mate, what’s happening?”

“Y-Your joy. What’s wrong, I can hardly feel it.” Jack shook against the bed, his heart feeling as if it was going to burst out his chest. He’d only felt this once before, when Aster had been fading during the battle with Pitch. His joy had nearly died out at the park, so small and faint that Jack could hardly find it. He looked at Aster helplessly, holding out a hand to reach for the pooka.

Aster stepped forward with a tired sigh and knelt down at the side of the bed. Jack’s fingers traced through the fur on the sides of his face before trailing down his neck to rest on his chest, above his heart. Feeling the steady beat beneath his hand calmed some of Jack’s panic.

 “It’s alright, love. Everything’s alright. A bit worked up is all, seeing you fight like that and knowing you were hurting. Smelling them _burn_ you.” Aster shook his head to dispel the images and keep the rising anger at bay. “Don’t worry, Snowflake, it’s not goin’ anywhere.”

Jack stared at him, searching for any amount of dishonesty, before he relaxed and let his hand fall back to the bed. Aster smiled, feeling the joy lighten a little bit and filling him with warmth. Jack relaxed completely at the feeling, assured that Aster was alright. They were safe, he had his staff, and everything was alright.

“Rest now, Jackie. Everything’s apples.”

Jack didn’t need to be told twice.


	19. Crowns and Bracelets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunny has a gift for Jack.

_Early April_

The warm spring breeze whispered through the warren; fluttering through his hair and dancing in the leaves. A soft smile curved Jack’s lips. He relaxed in the sweet grass under his favorite willow tree, his staff beside him and his legs cross under him. He fiddled with small daisies, a small pile of the flora sitting in his lap. Long fingers curled and pulled the flowers into a simple crown, a trick that Sophie had taught him. She’d showed him with snowdrops because he could only hang around in the winter. Here, though, he could enjoy the effects of spring with much less stress to his system. The warren lay outside Mother Nature’s influence, so his powers didn’t react to the warm air or flower pollen. Here, he could twist the daisies into a small crown, instead of snowdrops.

Jack wished that he could visit Sophie and Jamie today.

With a quiet sigh, he set the crown aside and sat back into the grass. He stared up at the tangled, twisting limbs of the willow as the wind flutter through them. He closed his eyes and sucked in the warm air, feeling hope glow at his center. Bunny’s power was always alive and well here, soft and constant. It made it easier to breathe. He let out the breath slowly, feeling his body relax into the soft ground.

“Something wrong, snowflake?”

Jack didn’t jump or flinch. Bunny had noticed the shift after Easter, during the routine clean up. He’d been shocked into silence the first time. He was tired and frazzled after Easter, irritable from the strain the holiday took on him. He’d burst into the cottage a little more loudly than he usually would. He’d always been keenly aware of Jack’s presence in their home, making sure to more a little more slowly and quietly so as not to scare the boy. They had been together a long time, now, but Bunny never wanted Jack to feel unsafe or threatened in their home. It was better to be safe than sorry.

Jack had been sitting at the table when he came in, reading a book that he’d borrowed from North. The book didn’t clatter to the floor and those bright blue eyes weren’t staring at him like a frightened animal. He calmed looked up from his book, after making sure to mark his page, and gave a small smirk.

“So, what did the groundhog do this time?”

Now, Bunny smiled down at him softly, soothing his hair from his forehead. Jack adjusted so that his head and shoulders lay in Bunny’s lap. Aster hummed quietly, content and comfortable.

“Nothing,” the winter spirit eventually sighed quietly. “I miss them.”

Bunny didn’t need to ask who he was talking about. The spring and summer time was always hard for Jack. He wanted to spend all the time that he could with Jamie and Sophie. All the guardians were all too aware that they children in Burgess were growing up fast; Claude had stopped believing last year. It was a constant worry nagging at Jack’s mind. Bunny pulled his paw through Jack’s hair, grumbling deep in his chest to try to soothe his mate.

Jack grinned at the gesture, relaxing against his lover. His fingers continued to fiddle with the small white flowers. With a final twist, the crown was complete. Jack set it on the grass next to them before folding his arms over his stomach. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the breeze on his skin and Aster’s paws in his hair.

“I have somethin’ for ya,” Aster murmured softly, enjoying the way Jack’s eyes flew open. There was a sparkle of excitement in them. The boy grinned widely, turning to sit on his knees in front of the Guardian of Hope. He gripped Bunny’s paws tightly.

“What is it?”

Bunny smiled at his love, standing slowly and tugging Jack to his feet as well. Jack followed easily enough, grabbing his flower crown quickly as Aster lead him toward their cottage.

“I’ve been meaning to give it to ya for a long time. After your run in with those autumn spirits, I actually sat down to make it.”

Jack thought about all the projects he could remember seeing Aster work on in the last six months. It was hard to believe that his run in with the fall spirits had been so long ago. The scars were still bright and pink, tender to the touch. He unconsciously ran his unoccupied hand along his stomach.

Aster continued speaking. “It takes some time to make these. I have to complete a certain portion of it before my peak of the year so that I can conduct enough magic into it.”

Jack pouted at Bunny’s evasive language around this mysterious object. “Can you just tell me what it is already?”

Bunny ignored him, but Jack could still see the grin on his lover’s lips. They reached the cottage a few minutes later; Bunny held the door open for him, allowing Jack to enter first. Bunny lead him from behind, a paw on the small of the Guardian of Fun’s back. Aster lead him to their bedroom and motioned for Jack to take a seat.

Jack fell into a sitting position with a grunt, his face twisted in an impatient grimace. Bunny chuckled at the look before turning away to pull something from the small table on his side of the nest. Jack tapped his foot and picked at his nails as he waited, nearly overflowing with excitement and impatience. Bunny slowed his task purposely, enjoying keeping Jack dangling. When the boy’s tapping reached two taps for every second that passed, he pulled out a small, flat, rectangular box.

Jack eyed him suspiciously as the larger Guardian moved to set in front of Jack, bent down on one knee. A sarcastic smirk pulled at his lips.

“Are you proposing to me? A little cliché, don’t you think?”

Bunny returned the smirk and rolled his eyes. “It’s not what you think.” Before Jack could respond, Aster opened the box to reveal a small wooden bracelet. It was polished smooth with curled engravings of ivy and frost carved into it. While Jack could only stare in wonder, Aster murmured softly.

“It’s infused with my magic, so that if you ever need me, you can call me. It creates a link between our magics, I’ll be able to feel in my center that you’re calling me.” Carefully, he pulled the bracelet out and turned it over to show Jack the small chunk of citrine embedded in the wood. It looked like a drop of the honey that Bunny used in some of his chocolates.

“I infused some of my magic into the stone. I can only do that during the peak of my season; when the grown and rebirth of new life is at its strongest and I’m at my strongest.”

Jack sat in wonder, unable to pull his eyes away from the gift in front of him. Tentatively, he reached out a pale hand to touch the surface of the wood. It was warm, filled with Bunny’s power and magic. Curling his fingers around it, he held it gently and studied the details. If he looked close enough, he could see the small flower details scattered along the ivy. He looked up at Bunny with a gaping mouth and wide eyes.

“You said that this wasn’t what I thought it was,” he blurted out, mouth finally catching up with his mind. “What is this then?”

Bunny pursed his lips and took the bracelet from Jack’s hands. “It’s a pookan tradition. You give your mate a piece of jewelry as protection and a symbol that you’ve already been spoken for. I may be the last pooka, but the instincts are still strong. After you were hurt by the autumn spirits, I realized that I needed to do this. I carved the bracelet immediately, but it took some time to find a stone that I liked and then I had to wait for the peak of my season. I wish it hadn’t taken so long,” he left out a deep sigh, his mouth twisted upward in content. “It feels good to finally give it to you.”

Jack blinked wildly at the explanation, tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and lump in his throat. Swallowing hard, he looked down at the gift again. Holding out his left wrist, he slid up his sweatshirt sleeve. He offered the appendage to Bunny, enjoying the way his mate’s eyes lit up at the gesture. Aster took his arm gently and slid the bracelet on. Jack shuddered at the feeling of Bunny’s magic washing over him, like a warm protective blanket. He smiled serenely at Bunny and pressed a kiss to his lips soundly. Bunny wrapped his arms around Jack’s torso, pulling the white haired boy against his chest. They kissed for a moment longer before Jack pulled away with a gasp.

“I don’t have anything for you!” he exclaimed, mouth twisted in a grimace. Bunny chuckled at his petulant tone, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry about it Jackie, that’s alrigh—“

“No, it isn’t,” Jack ground out between clenched teeth. Bunny watched as gears seemed to turn in Jack’s head; he stayed quiet while Jack thought. Abruptly, the boy gasped and grinned. Plunging his hand into his hoodie pocket, he gently removed the flower crown he’d made earlier. Gently, he laid the crown between Bunny’s ears, adjusting it until it sat straight.

“Until I can make you something as amazing as what you made me, this can be a placeholder,” he explained, grinning at his handiwork. Bunny touched the small flowers of the crown gently. A smile crept over his face and joy ran warm through him. Jack chuckled at the sensation of Bunny’s joy, laughing outright when Bunny lifted him off the ground again to hug him tightly. Jack hugged his mate back as Aster chinned against his hair, pressing kisses along the way.

“Love you, Snowflake.”

“I love you too, Kangaroo.”


	20. Fading and Growing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guardians realize that there was a long period of time that they didn't see Jack after the battle at Burgess. They'd thought that Jack was adjusting to his position as Guardian and had let him have his space. They find out that they'd been wrong about where he'd been, very wrong.

_Early June_

On a warm summer evening, the Guardians sat around North’s sitting room. The windows were shut tight and the fireplace empty. Even in the Poles, it was still almost too warm for Jack to be comfortable. He shifted every so often in his chair, brushing his hands over his arms and stomach. Frost crawled along the fabric, keeping him cool. He was avoiding leaving for the courts, wanting to spend as much time with them as possible. North was telling a loud story, complete with extravagant arm waving and dramatic pauses. Each of the Guardians nodded and gasped at the right times, though none of them were paying a lot of attention. Sandy’s head dipped in sleep while Jack flicked small snowballs Tooth across the room. Bunny snickered at his mate’s antics.

“Are you listening?” North abruptly demanded. His arms were crossed intimidatingly, his brow pinched in irritation. Bunny rolled his eyes at the look and waved a paw passively.

“North, we all remember this story. We were there for a part of this story!” North looked away dejectedly, a slight pout on his lips.

Jack cleared his throat at that and raised a hand. “I don’t remember this story.”

All eyes shifted to their youngest member, making Jack blushed lightly. “Why is everyone staring at me?”

Tooth fluttered from her seat and slowly over to Jack, looking at him with critical eyes. Jack squirmed under her gaze.

“Now that I think about it, you weren’t here when that happened.”

Jack wilted slightly at the comment, thinking that they were talking about a time when he hadn’t been a guardian. Despite his newfound comfort with the guardians, the three hundred years he’d spent mostly alone was still a painful topic. He didn’t like thinking about a time when they hadn’t been in his life.

Tooth noticed the look and shook her head, waving her hands in the air. “No, I mean, this happened right after the battle with Pitch. You were a guardian, but you weren’t here when that happened.” Her eyes pinched again as she tried to remember where Jack had been. “Come to think of it, we didn’t see you for a long time right after Burgess.”

Jack’s faced cleared into surprise for a brief moment before he forced himself to look calm. He’d forgotten that he hadn’t told them what had happened after the battle with Pitch. In truth, he’d hoped that it would never come up with the Guardians. He bit his lip gently and tried to find a way around telling this story. He threw a desperate glance to Bunny, who looked at him with equal amounts skepticism and curiosity. Jack knew by the look that he wasn’t going to be able to avoid telling them. He sighed heavily.

He turned on the couch to curl his feet up, rested his mug of eggnog on his stomach. He let his head fall back onto the arm rest so that he could stare up at the cedar ceiling. He counted the knots in the wood while he considered how to start this. No one spoke, allowing him time to organize his thoughts. Finally, Jack took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“I knew that I needed to report to Mother immediately.  I’d been off the charts for a couple days, places that were supposed to get storms didn’t and Mother was force to close winter early. She wasn’t pleased. I was in the middle of explaining the situation when I started to… fade.” His voice was a soft whisper. It hung in the warm air around them. The Guardians stared in disbelief. How could they not have known about this? At the time, they’d assume that Jack was keeping his distance as he got used to his new title and place as a Guardian. The group hadn’t expected him to warm to them right away and had left him alone out of respect. When he’d returned, they’d been so happy to see him that they hadn’t thought to ask where he’d been.

Jack ignored their surprised looks, focusing on the specks of frost on his pants. “I had a handful of believers among millions of non-believers. Kind of hard to keep the Guardian energy up when no one believes in you.” It was meant to be a joke to lighten the tension in the air, but no one laughed and the joke fell flat. He struggled for what to say next, desperate to move on from this conversation and wipe the looks of pity off their faces.

“At first, Mother didn’t know what was going on. Elementals aren’t connected to the belief of people, seasons happen how and when they want to, no matter what the humans wish. She was… angry. She cursed Manny for subjecting me to that feeling. She said that he knew full well that this was going to happen when he named me as a Guardian.”

The Guardians were in disbelief, turning to stare out the skylight above them. Manny dodged behind clouds, avoiding their stares. Manny had known that this would happen? Why hadn’t they warned them? Why hadn’t he warned _Jack_? Fading was painful and terrifying. You were feeling your life and body deteriorate and break away from you. Jack had been close to fading when the winter sprites left him at the equator. Now they knew that he’d been through it twice.

Jack peaked at them quickly, absorbing their expressions. They looked angry, throwing dark glances at the skylight above them. They also looked upset, eyes brimming with sympathy. Jack looked away.

“Mother read for weeks and weeks, trying to find anything to help me. She couldn’t exactly force children to believe in me. She needed another way to maintain my power so that I didn’t rely on the belief of children.” Jack took a sip of eggnog, his mouth drying from talking so long. “She maintained my temperature by keeping me in a constant ice bath. I think she read every book in the library, which is saying something. She even called a meeting with Manny, demanding if he knew anything that could save me.”

Jack glanced up at the ceiling, icy tears gather in the corners of his eyes. He took a deep breath and blinked away the tears before speaking. “She thought I was going to die. By month four, she was sure that there was nothing to be done. She just sat next to my basin and ran water through my hair. I was delirious at this point, barely sustaining my own power from my connection with the winter season.”

Jack paused and shook his head slowly. A chuckle slipped from his lips, baffling the Guardians. Their youngest was telling them that he had almost died. He could have died without them even knowing that something was wrong. Each of them imagined getting the notice from Manny, maybe even Seraphina herself. It chilled them to their cores, sending shivers up their spines. They concentrated on Jack as he continued speaking, pushing away the anxiety built up in their chests.

“Then something occurred to her. She knew that only my connection to the season was keeping me alive. She was sure that by winter I should get a bit stronger, but with the middle of summer on the horizon, she feared that I wouldn’t be able to maintain my center. She made a rash decision, knowing that it was probably my only chance to survive.” Now Jack’s cheeks flushed with frost. He pointedly avoided that gaze of his fellow guardians, staring at the pattern on the chair instead. Small elves and little presents were embroidered on the fabric, making him grin.

He cleared his throat. “She met with Father Winter. He knew what was going on, had visited me a few times to offer his help. I think that he researched with her, but didn’t find anything significant.” Jack tilted his head in thought before shaking it to stay focused. “Mother proposed… that they make me Winter’s heir. He was the patriarch of winter, Mother’s counterpart in status. He delegated his own section of the court. Eventually, he’ll need someone to take over. He hadn’t officially announced an heir at the time-“

“Why would naming you heir change anything?” North interrupted, his eyes narrowed in thought.

Jack grimaced at him, silently warning him not to interrupt. North flushed and grunted an apology. Jack grinned and continued his story.

“Their hope was that creating a stronger connection to the season would give me more power to sustain myself. It’s a very serious ceremony to name an heir. Mother hasn’t named hers yet. They considered making me hers, she’s significantly more powerful than Old Man Winter. But Winter is better connected to the season, so they decided that appointing me his heir had the most likely chance of helping me.

They didn’t really ask me if it was okay, not that I mind. It was the only chance I had. I vaguely remember taking my vows, just a few of us in Mother’s study. Normally it would be a big event, the entire court collected to watch the naming of an heir and witness someone take the crown. I wasn’t in any condition to do that, but the ceremony isn’t necessary for the actually vows. A few high status members of the courts, a notary type person, Old Man Winter and Mother. But that was enough to make it official.

“I didn’t recover right away, it was still touch and go for about a month. One day, though, I woke up and felt more solid. I could feel the ice chunks in the water with my fingertips, which had faded away already. I sat up for a little while, doodling frost patterns on the edge of the basin. Mother was ecstatic and encouraged me to try to walk. “

Jack laughed at the memories. “I fell flat on my face the first few times, but eventually my legs gained substance again and could support my weight. I got stronger from there, my center strengthening as the year drew closer to winter. By the first of September, I could float again and move around the courts without having to stop to catch my breath. By now, we knew that I was going to be okay.

Once I was through my first winter as the heir- the most important because it’s the first time that a spirit has to perform the duties of the heir- they knew that I was going to be fine. There’s a lot of training and official events that help the heir become connected more fully with the season. That connection to the season, as heir, outweighs my connection as a Guardian. It’s of more importance to the world, so to speak. “

Jack’s eyes widened and he turned frantic eyes to them. “Not to say that my role as a guardian isn’t important or that I’m going to take it any less seriously. It still helps maintain me and I can still feel the weakness at my center from my lack of believers.” He gripped the fabric of his sweatshirt tightly.

Bunny rushed to comfort him. He shook his head quickly. “None of us think that, Jackie. We know that ya love the kids.”

Jack stared at him for a long moment, studying him. He looked down to his knees and nodded slowly. He released his grip and soothed out his sweatshirt before speaking.

“Anyway, I spent September through December shadowing Old Man Winter. Learning what it would mean to be the next king of winter. It helped build my power and I felt stronger every day. By December I was fine. I didn’t randomly start to fade away, sometimes I’d drop cups because my fingers were fade unexpectedly. I could fly again, create storms, and I helped delegate work to other members of the court. December ran smoothly and Mother decided that it was okay for me to return to my duties as a Guardian. She knew that I needed to take the time in winter to gain believers and maintain my full strength.”

They all remembered the first day they had seen Jack after the battle at Burgess. An unusually large storm had hit the North Pole. Large, fluffy flakes of snow fell around the Workshop, blanketing the ground in heaps powder. The monthly meeting was taking place when North had noticed the snowballs hitting the window panes around them. He’d stopped mid-sentence to rush toward the window. His excited exclamation echoed through the entire building. The toy maker threw the window open to stick his head out into the heavy snowfall.

“Jack! Jack, is that you?”

The guardian of fun zipped up to the window and grinned at North. “Can I come in?” he’d asked politely. The guardians welcomed him warmly. Each hugged him tightly, excited to see their youngest guardian again. They’d considered checking Burgess or the Arctic to see if Jack was doing alright, but thought that he’d wanted privacy. Now that he was back, it didn’t matter where he had been.

Jack smiled fondly at the memory of his return. “It never felt like it was the right time to tell you. It was already over, so why should I bring it up?” He shrugged and sipped his eggnog. “Why worry you about something that had been taken care of? Though telling you that I’m the announced prince of the winter court was probably important.” He tilted his head again before shrugging. “It doesn’t feel like it should matter.”

Bunny grunted loudly, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes were narrowed in angry, his mouth pinched unhappily. “Doesn’t matter? Fuck Jack, you almost died! Without even notifying us! What would have happened if you hadn’t made it? A notice from Mother? A bloody funeral? With no idea that you had even been in danger.” Bunny hiss through his teeth and shook his head. Tooth turned sad eyes to Jack, taking in his shocked expression. She fluttered over to kneel next to him. His eyes followed her movement.

“Jack, we want you to understand what you mean to us. We thought that you were taking time to adjust to being a Guardian. We thought you were _okay._ If we’d found out that you’d disappeared, when we could have been with you, helping you, we would have been devastated.” She gently took his hands in hers and smiled down at them. “You’re family now, Jack. Even then, we’d learned so much about you during the fight with Pitch. We’d started to love you. If we’d found out that you were gone before we could learn more… It would have broken each of us.”

Jack opened his mouth to speak, but had to close it when no words came to him. He squeezed Tooth’s hands gently and tried to articulate his thoughts.

“I was still new. I had just been appointed a Guardian. A part of me was convinced that this was a test. That I had to make it through to prove that I was strong enough to be a guardian. I know that it had nothing to do with that, that it was just a side effect of being a winter spirit and a guardian. But I wanted… I wanted to prove that I could do it. That I could come back stronger and more prepared that I was. But…” He paused to swallow thickly.

“But I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. You deserved to know that something was wrong.”

Silence stretched on for a moment before each Guardian moved almost simultaneously. North shuffled over to lay a hand on Jack’s shoulder Sandy floated across the room to kneel next to Toothiana and lay his hand over theirs. Bunny stood at his side, running a hand through his hair.

“It’s just good ta know that you’re okay,” Bunny whispered, his voice thick with emotion. Jack grinned up at him, grinned at all of them. It was good to sit here, to have survived and healed so that he could have this time with them. There had been times that he wanted to let go, to be free of the pain of his body dissolving away. He’d held on though, worked and healed and pulled through. Sitting here, now, was worth every moment of pain. Being with them was worth anything and everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I hope that you all like the new chapter. Now, a few people have asked for some smut scenes in this story. To be completely honest, I'm not that comfortable or confident in my abilities to write smut. I don't think that this story will have any smut in the foreseeable future and I apologize for that, but I don't want to post something that I'm not confident in. I hope that everyone understands!


	21. Hearth and Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack shows Aster the first place he'd called home.

_Late September_

“You know, I’ve never taken anyone here,” Jack comment as he walked alongside Bunny. Unlike the Guardian of Hope, Jack walked on top of the deep snow of the Arctic, barely leaving a footprint as he went. Bunny, on the other hand, grumbled loudly as he trudged along.

“I’ll never get used to this bloody cold,” he mumbled, flicking the frost off his whiskers impatiently. Jack snickered at him quietly.

“Don’t worry, this is important.” Bunny could see the excitement in his mate’s eyes, which helped curb the irritation at the cold. He grinned and silently followed Jack. They walked for another fifteen minutes, up a small hill along the way, before Jack stopped moving. He turned to Bunny, his eyes serious and his mouth a thin line.

“Don’t laugh, okay?” There was a hint of desperation in his eyes. Bunny was taken aback by the look and tone. He reached out to run a paw along Jack’s cheek, smiling reassuringly.

“Not a peep, snowdrop.” Settled by Aster’s promise, Jack turned to lead him toward the opening of a cave. The winter spirit adjusted his staff to fit through the space, careful not to break it. Aster ducked through the narrow entrance, standing upright once through. The ceiling was just high enough for him to stand straight.

The inside was dimly lit with a small lantern, casting soft light against the walls. He gazed around at the small chamber. A small table was set up in the middle, books and scraps of paper stacked haphazardly taking up most of the surface space. A small pile of colorful, patchwork blankets was nestled along one of the walls, pillows of every shape and size tangled throughout. A small trunk sat next to a small, padded rocking chair. On the other side, a basket of brightly colored yarn sat, piled neatly. Knick knacks and trinkets were scattered throughout the room, sitting on shelves anchored in the rock walls. Some were small rocks, cracked to reveal bright geodes. Some were figurines and stuffed animals, no doubt gifts from the few believers that Jack had. A small jar filled with pennies stood, half full. Bunny pointed at it curiously, raising a brow at the Guardian of Fun. Jack shrugged with a nervous smile.

“People think that if you find a penny heads up, you’ll have good luck. I collected them in hopes that something good would happen.” The boy fished in his pants pocket and produced three pennies. He stepped across the room to deposit them in the jar. Bunny was looking around again, taking in all the details. The entire space was filled with signs of Jack.

“Is this your home?” Aster whispered, kneeling down to touch one of the piled quilts. It was soft and worn with use. Jack stood next to him.

“Yeah, this is where I’d stay during the summer. I’d go to the courts for a few days at a time, but spent my time here for the most part.” He glanced around his cave, grinning proudly. “Furnished it myself. I think it’s pretty cozy, for second hand stuff.”

Bunny threw him a curious look. Jack shrugged. “I didn’t steal anything, obviously. But I’d grab things from free boxes. Sometimes I’d leave a couple dollars in pennies at garage sales and take something. That’s how I got most of the blankets.”

Bunny stood from his crouch and smiled down at Jack. “It’s a nice little place. Very homey.”

Jack smiled brightly, a thin layer of frost on his cheeks. “Thanks,” he whispered, feeling relieved. He’d been nervous to show Aster this place. For so long, it had been _his_ place. No one could hurt him here. He trusted Aster though and had decided that it was time that he see where Jack had lived before the Warren.

“Do you still come here often?” Bunny inquired, noticing a thin layer of dust on the books and table. Jack shrugged and looked around with a wistful smile.

“Sometimes. I come here to get things every once in a while. I got one of my blankets and put it in the nest at the Warren. I stay here when I have to drop snow in the area. It’s easier than travelling back and forth for a few days.”

The winter spirit stepped toward the table, running his fingers along the spine of a book. He’d read all of them tens of times, passing the time with stories and tales. He looked at his collections on the shelves, the rocking chair he knitted in, the cool nest of blankets on the floor.

“I like the Warren though. It’s so different. It’s warm, but it doesn’t hurt me. And the wind isn’t blizzard level. And grass is such a different kind of soft compared to snow.” He smiled thoughtfully. With a decisive nod, Jack turned bright eyes on his love. Bunny stared at him in wonder, unbelievably touched by Jack’s words. Silently, he wrapped his arms around Jack’s middle, pulling Jack tightly against his chest. He buried his nose in Jack’s hair. Jack’s arms wound around him just as tightly. The winter spirit hummed contently.

“I like having you in the Warren,” Bunny murmured. “I never imagined that I would find someone that I felt comfortable enough with to invite them to live with me. Yet, here you are.”

Jack laughed breathlessly into Aster’s fur. “North told me once that you nearly attacked him when he showed up unannounced.”

Aster hummed in the back of his throat, resting his chin on Jack’s head and staring over him at all of Jack’s possessions. “Yeah, that happened a few times. You’d think he’d learn to send a message first.”

Jack let out a wholehearted laugh as he pulled away, imagining Bunny jumping out to ambush the large Russian. It was quite the sight. Aster smiled at his lover, ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately.

“Why did you want to show me all this?” He gestured around the room with a large paw. Jack’s eyes followed the same path, smiling nostalgically. He remembered the long summers spent here. The reading and knitting and collecting. It was comforting to have this place. The winter spirit paused, staring down at his pile of soft blankets. “It felt like a home. You showed me your home in the Warren. It’s only fair that I show you mine.”

Aster smiled, humming in the back of his thought before once again observing the space around him. This place felt like Jack, every item reminding Aster of little details about his partner. He took in the room, every tiny detail. Jack had trusted him enough to show him this place; he wanted to make sure that he say all of it. A fond smile spread over his face.

“Is there anything you want to bring back with us?”

Jack hummed loudly, thinking hard about anything he wanted. Silently, he selected a few books, tucking them securely under his arm. He moved around Bunny to grab his jar of pennies, screwing the lid on tightly.

“Can you grab the rocking chair?”

“Of course.” Aster easily lifted the chair off the floor, holding it carefully. With one last final glance around the room, Jack nodded to his partner with a gentle smile.

“Okay, I’m ready to go. If I need anything else, I can make the trip back here.”

Aster nodded to him, reaching out with the paw that wasn’t holding the chair. Jack took his hand immediately, gripping it tightly. The two set out of the cave, emerging into cold air and a gentle snowfall.

“If you want, I can try to clear some snow so that we can use a tunnel?” Jack offered, moving away from his mate to start clearing the ice and snow. Bunny shook his head, stepping toward Jack.

“You can get onto my back if you want, I can hold the chair with one arm. I’m not even sure there’s actual ground underneath all this damn ice.”

Jack chuckled at the comment, climbing onto Bunny’s broad back. He tucked the books tightly to his chest, securing them and the jar between their bodies. He slid his staff behind his back, creating a thick layer of ice against the fabric and over the wood, securing the crook to his back. Bunny shifted slightly, adjusting his hold on the rocking chair and Jack. Once he was ready, he set off quickly through the snow. Jack helped clear a path as he ran, making a trench for Aster to run along. Aster pressed a kiss to the arm wrapped around his neck, making Jack grin.

It didn’t take them long to get to a place where the snow was shallow enough to create a tunnel. He opened one immediately, diving into the earth with no warning. Jack’s laugh echoed around them as Aster flew along the ground.

Sometime later, Bunny slowed to a walk, allowing Jack to clamor off his back. He stretched his arm, hearing his elbow and shoulder pop loudly. “Not often that I have to run with one arm. It’s a good work out.”

The Guardian of Fun chuckled at the comment, bumping against his lover gently. “I thought I was starting to see some flab.”

“Oi! Uncalled for.” Bunny sent him a mock glare, but Jack could see the curve of his lips and mischief in his eyes.

“It was just a joke and you know it.”

Aster grunted, but didn’t counter. They lapsed back into comfortable silence as they walked the last few yards of the tunnel. The Warren greeted them warmly, breeze carrying the scent of flowers washing around them. Bunny sighed appreciatively at the greeting, feeling the life of his home resonate beneath his feet.

He glanced down when Jack hummed in the back of his throat, his bright eyes closed. He soaked in the softness of the grass and the smell of flowers and the gentle sunlight that didn’t smolder his skin.

It amazed the boy that the Warren had become his home, against all odds. By all accounts, this place was the exact opposite of everything he was used to and everything he embodied. Maybe that was why he loved it so much, because it gave him a view of something he’d never thought he’d experience. The smell of flowers and the warmth of sunlight and grass beneath his feet. These had all been dreams until now.  

With a quiet, content sigh, Jack opened his eyes and smiled sleepily at Aster. With a chuckle, Bunny wrapped his unoccupied arm around Jack’s waist.

“You look like you need a nap.”

Jack nearly moaned at the idea, loving the thought of the shade beneath a tree and laying out on one of his quilts. He nodded eagerly at the suggestion. After a deep chuckle, Aster lead the tired spirit toward their burrow. He pushed the door open with his shoulder, ushering Jack inside.

“Where do ya want the chair?”

Jack hummed in thought. “By the window in my old room. It gets the most sunlight in the burrow.” Jack thought about being curled up in the chair comfortably, reading a book and napping. Bunny pressed a quick kiss to the top of his head, nudging the winter spirit toward the hall.

“Go put that stuff away and I’ll put the chair in there. Do ya want to nap in here or outside?”

“Outside, under a tree,” Jack replied quietly, sleepiness soft in his voice. Aster smiled at him, giving him one last kiss before walking into Jack’s old room.

Jack shuffled down the hall into their shared room.

‘ _First things first,’_ he thought, reaching over his shoulder to put his staff carefully from his back. The ice fell away easily enough; he melted it slowly until the staff pulled away from the fabric of his sweatshirt. He rested it alongside nest delicately.

He put the jar of pennies on the table by his side of the nest, setting the books down next to it. He dug through the nest until his fingers touched a blanket he’d felt a million times. He pulled it out slowly, careful not to rip it anywhere. He folded it over his arm, making sure that it wasn’t trailing on the ground, and walked out of the room. Aster was waiting for him in the living area, leaning against the door frame leisurely. He grinned at Jack’s appearance, offering an arm to his lover. Jack curled took the offering gladly, gripping Aster’s arm gently.

The Guardian of Hope led them slowly through the grass, taking his time and enjoying the cool feeling of Jack against his side. Aster knew exactly what tree to go to, Jack’s favorite tree. It was a large maple tree, tall and proud. Wide branches stretched to create a shadow on the ground. A small stream babbled a few yards away, shallow and crystal clear. Jack often froze it so that he could lounge when he got too warm.

When the pair reached the edge of the shade, Jack moved away from Aster’s side. He spread the wide quilt on the grass, leaving a patch of it in the sunlight. He flopped onto it immediately, rolling into a comfortable position on his back. Aster knelt down beside him, settling against the trunk of the tree. Jack wiggled closer to him, head resting in his lap and body splayed across the blanket. He gave a long winded sigh, closing his eyes and smiling.

Aster ran gentle fingers though his partner’s hair, scratching gently behind his ears and enjoying Jack’s quiet groans of pleasure. The two enjoyed the warm breeze and cool shade silently, comfortable with being close to one another.

Aster’s thoughts strayed as they relaxed, back to the small cave tucked into a mountain side in the Artic. Despite the frozen air and cold rock, the space had been warm in the way that only a home could be. It made Aster happy, unbelievably and overwhelming happy, to know that Jack had made a home for himself when he had no other place to belong. The cave was filled with personal touches of the young guardian, creating a space for Jack to be comfortable in _._

It meant so much, so much more than he could explain, that Jack had showed that place to him. His lover had trusted Aster enough to show him a place that the winter spirit had never showed a living soul. The tiny place tucked away from the world, the place Jack escaped too. For a spirit as free as Jack, who often disappeared for a few days at a time and always needed a place to hide away, it was overwhelmingly significant to Aster that he now knew where that place was. Affection washed through the pooka, making him smile.

While Aster loved having his partner with him here, in the Warren by his side, he hoped that Jack kept that place filled with his things, his memories. Aster wanted Jack to have that space that was uniquely his.

“If you ever want to, you can take things from the Warren and put them there. I want that place to stay a home for you too.”

Jack kept his eyes shut, but smiled faintly. He reached up a small hand to rest it against Aster’s, squeezing it comfortingly. “I just might do that.”

Bunny chuckled above him. The two lapsed into silence again, Aster relaxed against the tree with his head leaned back. Jack could tell when the pooka drifted into sleep, his breathing deep and even. Jack stayed awake, looking around the Warren from his place in Bunny’s lap. He watched the grass sway with the wind, listened to the creek gurgle, stared through the leaves at the rays of sunlight shining through them. He wasn’t sure when he’d started to think of the Warren as a home, but he remembered the first time he’d said it out loud.

_A weekly meeting had just ended, each of the Guardians rising from their seats. They spoke to each other amicably, telling stories about their week. Jack had been tired the entire meeting, the warmth of the fire making him groggy. While it didn’t roar as hot and bright as usual, the heat of the small flames made the winter spirit uncomfortable. He grumbled at Aster’s side, interrupting the pooka’s conversation with North. Aster had looked down at him fondly, ruffling his hair and kiss the crown of his head._

_“Time to go?”_

_Jack nodded slowly. “Time to go home.”_

_The Guardian of Fun hadn’t caught the phrase until he looked up at Aster’s surprised expression. The bringer of life was staring at him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Jack felt frost immediately spread over his cheeks; it crackled when he moved to press his face into Aster’s arm to hide his embarrassed expression. Bunny struggled for a few moments for something to say, but ended up smiling brightly and nodding._

_“C’mon then.”_

Now, sitting against Aster and staring out at the scene around him, Jack knew that this was undoubtedly what home felt like. Not that his cave hadn’t been a home to him. It would always be his first home, the first place that he created and carved a place for himself in the world.

He’d lived his entire immortal life creating that place for himself, adding pieces of himself to his quiet sanctuary. He’d always been content with that, satisfied to have a place for himself that he could call a home.

Now, he couldn’t believe his luck. He had not one home, but two.  


End file.
